On 2 February 1645 a Royalist army led by James Graham, 5th Earl and 1st Marquis of Montrose, routed the Earl of Argyll's Covenating forces in the Battle of Inverlochy.

The events of the battle were recorded by the MacDonald Bard of Keppoch. Much of the blame for the Covenanters' defeat has been attributed to the disputes between the two commanders, the Marquess of Argyll and General Baillie. Both men thought themselves the senior officer, and carried a deep personal enmity for one another.

On February 2 1987 novelist Alastair MacLean died. His books The Guns of Navarone, Ice Station Zebra and Where Eagles Dare were all made into successful films.

The 2nd February 1998 saw the death of Dr Robert McIntyre, who became the SNP's first Westminster MP by winning the Motherwell by-election in April 1945. The SNP's success was short-lived however, as Labour retook the seat in the General Election three months later.