Jacobites and the Jacobite Uprising
Jacobites and the Jacobite Uprising
The following is an attempt to outline briefly the main events in what was a turbulent and complex period in Scotland’s history.
CHARLES II, a Protestant, died in 1685, and was succeeded by his brother JAMES II, a Roman Catholic. James II was known as JAMES VII in Scotland. Opposition to Catholicism was widespread in Scotland at the time.
Jacobites were supporters of James VII, of Scotland, and James II, of England, and his descendants in their claim to the throne.
Before 1688 his daughter Mary, who was married to William of Orange, a staunch Protestant, was heir to the throne. James’ son JAMES FRANCIS EDWARD STUART was born in July 1688, and being male, replaced his sister Mary as heir to the throne. It was feared that if he became king, he would continue to impose Catholicism.
By January 1689, the British Parliament invited Mary and her husband William to come from Europe to rule. James VII and II was forced into exile in France. This is known as the Glorious Revolution.
THE FIRST JACOBITE RISING
John Graham of Claverhouse, one of James’ most zealous Scottish supporters, rallied troops and launched military action against William and Mary’s government forces.
BATTLE OF KILLIECRANKIE
On 27 July 1689 government forces were defeated by the Jacobites at Killiecrankie, but the Jacobites suffered heavy casualties and their leader John Graham of Claverhouse was fatally wounded.
BATTLE OF DUNKELD
For 16 hours on 21 August 1689 the battle between Jacobites, under their new leader Alexander Cannon, and the newly formed Cameronian Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel William Cleland, raged in the town of Dunkeld. The result was a victory for the Cameronians with a loss of some 300 Jacobites.
GLENCOE MASSACRE
William of Orange had offered a pardon to all Jacobites in the Scottish Highlands, if they swore allegiance to him by 1st January 1692. On 13 February 1692 government forces killed around 30 members of Clan MacDonald of Glencoe, allegedly for failing to pledge allegiance.
THE 1701 ACT OF SETTLEMENT
Following the death in December 1694 of Queen Mary, William III continued as King. In June 1701 the Act of Settlement stated that if William III and Mary’s sister Anne died without heirs, the throne should pass to Sophia of Hanover, granddaughter of James I.
In March 1702 William III died of pneumonia following a broken collarbone as a result of a fall from his horse. His horse had tripped on a molehill, and many Jacobites toasted ‘the little gentleman in the black velvet waistcoat.’ Jacobites also raised their glasses to ‘ the king over the water.’
The deposed James VII and II died in September 1701. His Jacobite followers hoped that his son James Francis Edward Stuart would claim the crown to become King James III of England and Ireland, and King James VIII of Scotland. He had the support of his cousin Louis XIV of France.
QUEEN ANNE
Following the death of William III, Anne, the Protestant younger sister of Queen Mary, ruled until her death in 1714. As decreed by the 1701 Act of Settlement the throne was to have passed to Sophia. However, Sophia had died 2 months before Anne, and so the throne passed to Sophia’s son George. King George I was the first British monarch of the House of Hanover.
THE 1715 UPRISING
On 6 September 1715, John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, declared James Francis Edward Stuart (the Old Pretender) to be King of Scotland and marched south with an army of around 12000 men.
John Campbell, Duke of Argyll, led the government army of around 4000 men.
The two armies met on 13 November 1715 at Sheriffmuir, near Dunblane. The battle was inconclusive, with both sides claiming victory.
On 23 December 1715, James Francis Edward Stuart who had been exiled in France, landed at Peterhead. He met with Mar, but was unable to rouse the disheartened army. James Francis Edward Stuart returned to France and the army dispersed.
THE 1745 UPRISING
On 21 September 1745, a Jacobite army led by Charles Edward Stuart (known as Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Young Pretender) defeated a government army led by Sir John Cope at the Battle of Prestonpans, near Edinburgh. This was a huge boost for the Jacobite morale.
On 17 January 1746, the two sides met again at the Battle of Falkirk Muir. The outcome has been described as a ‘hollow’ victory for the Jacobites, since they failed decisively to defeat their opposition. Government troops withdrew to Edinburgh, while the Jacobite army withdrew to Inverness.
On 16 April 1746, the Jacobite army of Charles Edward Stuart was decisively defeated by the government army under William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, at the Battle of Culloden on Drummossie Moor, near Inverness.
Following his victory at Culloden, the Duke of Cumberland wanted to eliminate the Jacobite threat once and for all. Across Scotland, anyone suspected of Jacobite sympathies was punished by government troops. Jacobite properties were seized by the Crown. The kilt and tartan were banned.
After his defeat at Culloden, Charles Edward Stuart ordered Jacobite soldiers to disperse and he went into hiding. A huge reward was offered for his capture, but he escaped to the Isle of Skye.
Charles Edward Stuart returned to France where he was treated as a celebrity at first, but in 1748 he was expelled from France. He died in Rome in 1788.
For a full account of the Glencoe Massacre read “ The Glen of Weeping” in “The Real Macbeth and Other Stories from Scottish History” by Maurice Fleming.
For the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s escape to the Isle of Skye read “ Flora and the Prince” in the above. For further information visit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James-Francis-Edward-Stuart
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles-Edward-Stuart
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacobite-rising-of-1745
https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/glencoe
https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/p...
For more reading on the Jacobites, see our article on the Meikleour Beech Hedge.