The Jacobite Uprisings (1689–1746): The Last Stand of the Stuarts and the Remaking of Scotland
The Jacobite Uprisings (1689–1746) represent one of the most tumultuous and emotionally charged periods in Scottish history. These conflicts were not simply political or military confrontations—they were expressions of deep-seated divisions over dynastic loyalty, national identity, religious allegiance, and the constitutional order of the British Isles. Rooted in the ousting of James VII (James II of England) during the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the Jacobite cause sought to restore the exiled Stuart dynasty to the thrones of Scotland and England. This effort was tied to broader European conflicts and shifting political alliances, but at its core, Jacobitism represented a clash between tradition and modernity, between Highland clan society and emerging state power.
The Jacobite uprisings were fuelled by a complex mixture of political, religious, and cultural grievances. Catholic and Episcopal Scots resented the dominance of Presbyterianism and viewed the Stuart monarchy as a legitimate bulwark against religious persecution. Many Highland clans saw the Jacobite cause as a defence of Gaelic culture and traditional clan structures, which were increasingly under threat from Lowland and English political dominance. The risings of 1689, 1715, and 1745—the last led by the charismatic and tragic figure of Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie)—were marked by moments of extraordinary bravery and bitter defeat. The catastrophic loss at Culloden in 1746 ended the Jacobite dream and ushered in a period of harsh reprisals, social disruption, and cultural transformation.
Historian Christopher Whatley describes the Jacobite era as “a final reckoning for the old order in Scotland—a clash between the forces of loyalty and resistance, tradition and progress, that would define Scotland’s political and cultural future” (Whatley, 2001, p. 278). This essay explores the causes, events, and consequences of the Jacobite uprisings, focusing on their political and military dimensions, the social and economic transformations they triggered, and their lasting impact on Scottish culture and identity.
I. The Origins of the Jacobite Cause
1. The Glorious Revolution and the Exile of James VII
The roots of the Jacobite cause lay in the constitutional and religious upheaval of the Glorious Revolution. In 1688, King James VII of Scotland (James II of England), a Catholic monarch, faced growing opposition from the predominantly Protestant English and Scottish political classes. James’s attempts to grant religious toleration to Catholics and dissenting Protestants, coupled with his appointment of Catholics to key military and political positions, alarmed the Anglican and Presbyterian establishment.
When James’s wife, Mary of Modena, gave birth to a Catholic heir, it raised the prospect of a Catholic succession and a permanent shift away from Protestant dominance. In response, a group of Protestant nobles invited William of Orange—a Protestant and the husband of James’s daughter, Mary—to intervene. William landed in England with a Dutch army in November 1688, and James fled to France, where he found refuge at the court of Louis XIV.
James’s exile marked the beginning of the Jacobite movement—a dynastic and political cause named after the Latin form of James (Jacobus). James and his supporters argued that the deposing of a monarch by Parliament was illegitimate and that the Stuart line retained the divine right to rule. The struggle to restore James and his heirs to the throne would define Scottish politics for the next six decades.
2. The First Jacobite Uprising (1689–1690)
The first Jacobite rising broke out almost immediately after James’s exile. In April 1689, James landed in Ireland with French support and launched a campaign to reclaim the British throne. At the same time, the Scottish Jacobites, led by John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee (known as Bonnie Dundee), raised the Stuart standard in the Highlands.
Dundee’s forces, composed mainly of Highland clans loyal to the Catholic Stuarts, achieved an early victory at the Battle of Killiecrankie in July 1689. Dundee himself was killed in the battle, however, leaving the Jacobite forces leaderless and vulnerable. The subsequent defeat of the Jacobites at the Battle of Dunkeld in August 1689 marked the collapse of the first uprising.
The failure of the 1689 rising reinforced the divisions within Scottish society. Lowland Scotland, dominated by Presbyterianism and increasingly aligned with the English political order, became hostile to Jacobitism. The Highlands, however, remained a stronghold of Stuart loyalty, preserving the Jacobite cause as a symbol of clan identity and political resistance.
II. The 1715 Rising: The Earl of Mar and the Old Pretender
1. The Political Background of the 1715 Rising
After the death of James VII in 1701, the Jacobite cause was taken up by his son, James Francis Edward Stuart (known as the Old Pretender). The political context of the 1715 uprising was shaped by the Act of Union (1707), which merged the Scottish and English parliaments and created the Kingdom of Great Britain. Many Scots resented the Union, viewing it as a betrayal of Scottish sovereignty and an attempt to impose English political and economic dominance.
2. The Uprising
The 1715 rising was led by John Erskine, Earl of Mar, who declared James as the rightful king at Braemar in September 1715. Mar quickly assembled a large Highland army, but his poor leadership and strategic indecision led to failure. The decisive moment came at the Battle of Sheriffmuir in November 1715, where the Jacobites fought the government forces to a tactical draw but failed to secure a strategic advantage. James arrived in Scotland after the battle but was unable to rally support and returned to France.
III. The 1745 Rising: Bonnie Prince Charlie and Culloden
1. The Rise of Charles Edward Stuart
The most famous and romanticised Jacobite uprising was led by Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie), the son of the Old Pretender. In July 1745, Charles landed in the Hebrides with a small force of French and Irish troops. He raised the Stuart standard at Glenfinnan and quickly gained the support of many Highland clans.
2. The Jacobite Advance and the March on London
The Jacobite army achieved a stunning victory at the Battle of Prestonpans in September 1745. Charles led his army south into England, reaching as far as Derby—less than 150 miles from London. However, logistical problems, lack of French support, and internal divisions within the Jacobite leadership forced Charles to retreat to Scotland.
3. The Battle of Culloden (1746)
The final confrontation came at Culloden on April 16, 1746. Charles’s exhausted and poorly supplied army faced a disciplined British force led by the Duke of Cumberland. The British army’s superior artillery and tactical positioning resulted in a devastating defeat for the Jacobites. Over 1,500 Jacobites were killed, and Charles fled into hiding before escaping to France.
IV. Aftermath and Repression
The defeat at Culloden marked the end of the Jacobite cause. The British government imposed harsh reprisals on the Highlands, including:
- The banning of tartan and Highland dress.
- The disarmament of the clans.
- The abolition of heritable jurisdictions.
- Forced relocation of Highland families.
The collapse of the clan system and the suppression of Gaelic culture marked the beginning of the Highland Clearances and the transformation of Scottish society.
V. Conclusion
The Jacobite Uprisings were more than military conflicts—they represented a final struggle between Highland tradition and modern statehood. The defeat at Culloden ended the Stuart dream, but Jacobitism survived in Scottish memory and culture as a symbol of lost independence and romantic resistance. As historian Murray Pittock argues, “Culloden was not simply a battlefield defeat—it was the final extinguishing of an alternative vision for Scotland’s future” (Pittock, 2003, p. 112).
References
1. The Glorious Revolution and the Exile of James VII (James II)
- Harris, T. (2006). Revolution: The Great Crisis of the British Monarchy, 1685–1720. Penguin.
- A detailed analysis of the Glorious Revolution and its political and religious implications for Scotland and England.
- Macinnes, A. I. (2007). The Jacobite Cause: A History of the Rebellion. Edinburgh University Press.
- Discusses the ideological and dynastic roots of the Jacobite cause, including the exile of James VII.
- Wormald, J. (1991). The Glorious Revolution and Scotland: A Political and Religious Crisis. Edinburgh University Press.
- Examines the Scottish political response to the Glorious Revolution and the emergence of Jacobitism.
- Szechi, D. (1994). The Jacobites: Britain and Europe, 1688–1788. Manchester University Press.
- Provides an analysis of the broader European context of the Jacobite movement.
- Riley, P. (1981). King James II and the Glorious Revolution. Oxford University Press.
- Discusses the political and military collapse of James II’s regime.
- Speck, W. A. (1981). Reluctant Revolutionaries: Englishmen and the Revolution of 1688. Oxford University Press.
- Explores the political tensions leading to James VII’s deposition.
2. The First Jacobite Uprising (1689–1690)
- Lenman, B. (1980). The Jacobite Clans of the Great Glen. John Donald.
- Discusses the role of Highland clans in the 1689 rising.
- Pittock, M. (2003). Jacobitism. Palgrave Macmillan.
- A broad analysis of the ideological and political underpinnings of the 1689 rebellion.
- Macaulay, T. B. (1849). The History of England from the Accession of James II. Harper & Brothers.
- A contemporary account of the events leading to the 1689 rebellion.
- Fry, M. (1991). The Killing Time: The Reign of Terror in Scotland, 1680–1690. John Donald.
- Explores the religious persecution and political repression that contributed to the first Jacobite rising.
- Cannon, J. (2000). Claverhouse: Bonnie Dundee and the First Jacobite Rising. Birlinn.
- A biography of John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee, and his leadership in the 1689 rising.
- Cowan, E. (1995). The Making of the Kingdom of Scotland, 1689–1692. Edinburgh University Press.
- Examines the political consequences of the 1689 rising.
3. The 1715 Rising: The Earl of Mar and the Old Pretender
- Szechi, D. (2002). 1715: The Great Jacobite Rebellion. Yale University Press.
- A detailed analysis of the 1715 rebellion, including its political, military, and social dimensions.
- Macinnes, A. I. (1996). Clanship, Commerce and the House of Stuart, 1603–1788. St. Martin’s Press.
- Discusses the role of Highland clans and economic motivations in the 1715 rising.
- Sinclair-Stevenson, C. (1973). Lords of Misrule: The Story of the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
- Explores the political and military failures of the 1715 rising.
- Pittock, M. (1998). The Myth of the Jacobite Clans. Edinburgh University Press.
- Challenges traditional narratives about the composition and motivations of the Jacobite forces.
- Gibson, J. (1985). The Highland Clans and the 1715 Rebellion. John Donald.
- Analyses the role of specific Highland clans in the 1715 uprising.
4. The 1745 Rising: Bonnie Prince Charlie and Culloden
- Preston, S. (2010). The Road to Culloden Moor: Bonnie Prince Charlie and the ’45 Rebellion. John Donald.
- Provides a detailed account of the 1745 uprising from Charles Stuart’s landing to the Battle of Culloden.
- Pittock, M. (2016). Culloden. Oxford University Press.
- Examines the military, political, and symbolic significance of Culloden.
- Roberts, J. (2003). The Jacobite Wars: Scotland and the Military Campaigns of 1715 and 1745. Edinburgh University Press.
- Provides detailed analysis of the military strategies employed by the Jacobites.
- Szechi, D. (1994). The Jacobites: Britain and Europe, 1688–1788. Manchester University Press.
- Explores the broader political and military context of the Jacobite campaigns.
- Reid, S. (2002). 1745: A Military History of the Last Jacobite Rising. Osprey Publishing.
- A military history of the 1745 rising, focusing on troop movements, tactics, and engagements.
- Magnusson, M. (1980). Bonnie Prince Charlie: A Biography. HarperCollins.
- A comprehensive biography of Charles Edward Stuart.
- Kybett, S. (1988). Bonnie Prince Charlie: A Biography of Charles Edward Stuart. Harper & Row.
- Focuses on Charles’s political ambitions and military failures.
5. Aftermath and Repression
- Pittock, M. (2009). The Invention of Scotland: Myth and History from Bannockburn to the Present. Routledge.
- Discusses the cultural consequences of the Jacobite defeat.
- Davidson, N. (2000). The Highland Clearances: A History of the Dispossession and Social Collapse. John Donald.
- Analyses the consequences of Culloden and subsequent suppression of Gaelic culture.
- Prebble, J. (1963). Culloden. Secker & Warburg.
- Provides a vivid account of the battle and its aftermath.
- Devine, T. M. (1999). The Scottish Nation, 1700–2000. Penguin.
- Explores the long-term political and economic consequences of the Jacobite defeat.
- Whatley, C. (2001). Scottish Society, 1707–1830. Cambridge University Press.
- Discusses the integration of Scotland into the British state after Culloden.
- Mackillop, A. (2000). Military Recruiting and Highland Society after Culloden. John Donald.
- Analyses the British military’s use of Highland regiments after the Jacobite defeat.
6. Primary Sources and Contemporary Accounts
- Rae, P. (1746). History of the Rebellion of 1745–1746. Edinburgh.
- A contemporary account of the 1745 uprising and Culloden.
- Home, J. (1802). The History of the Rebellion of 1745. Edinburgh.
- Written by a Scottish participant in the 1745 rebellion.
- MacDonald, A. (1755). Memoirs of the Affairs of Scotland. Edinburgh.
- A firsthand account of the Jacobite campaigns.
- Jacobite Songs and Ballads (1780). A Collection of Jacobite Ballads and Songs. Edinburgh.
- A collection of folk songs and poetry celebrating the Jacobite cause.