A guided tour of Scotland can take you to see many wonderful things. There are the lively cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, rugged mountains and stunning lochs, wildlife from deer to red squirrels and a myriad of castles.
Amid all these sights is a long and rich history, one significant part of which is that of the Jacobites, whose most famous rebellion ended on the battlefield of Culloden near Inverness in 1746. But that is just one of the many sites associated with multiple uprisings.
Jacobite rebellions were not, despite what is sometimes claimed, a Scotland-versus-England issue or, strictly speaking, an attempt to reverse the 1707 Act of Union that joined Scotland to England.
What The Jacobites Were All About
The name Jacobite comes from the Latin Jacobus, or James, for the cause arose when the Stuart King James II was deposed in the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688 and replaced by his son-in-law, the Dutch King William of Orange. James fled to France, where he was to spend many years as the ‘king over the water’.
To be a Jacobite was to yearn for the restoration of the Stuarts on the thrones of England and Scotland (unified in 1610), as well as Ireland, which William of Orange seized amid events such as the 1689 Battle of the Boyne.
Early rebellions included the Battle of Killiecrankie and Siege of Dunkeld in 1689 and the 1691-94 occupation of Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth by four escaped Jacobite prisoners. You can see this rock from Edinburgh or across the firth in Fife.
Another incident was the Glencoe Massacre in 1692, when the Macdonald Clan, who had been ordered to take an oath of allegiance to King William, was massacred by the Campbells amid claims they were still loyal to James II. There is a monument in the glen.
Initially, the Glorious Revolution was a sectarian affair, deposing a Catholic King in favour of a Protestant, but over time, Jacobinism became associated with other causes, as some shifted in their sympathies from one side to another, and Scotland’s future became disputed after the Act of Union.
Jacobite Sites Across Scotland
A tour of Scotland can take you to Glencoe and in view of Bass Rock, but there are many other places where you can see sites associated with the Jacobites. Further rebellions happened in 1708 and 1715, the second led by the Earl of Mar and crucially defeated at the Battle of Sheriffmuir.
The next uprising, in 1719, was brief, but visiting the area where it happened will be a glorious trip to a place of stunning scenery and the grandest setting of any Scottish castle. Supported by Spanish troops, the whole event amounted to one incident, the Battle of Glen Shiel. The Jacobite ships docked around Eilean Donan Castle before the battle.
You can enjoy some glorious scenery in this area, including the peaks of the Five Sisters of Kintail. Note that one is called Sgurr nan Spainteach, Gaelic for ‘Peak of the Spaniards’, a reminder of this battle – the last time foreign troops fought on the British mainland.
The Rise And Fall Of The ‘45
These unsuccessful rebellions were all aimed at putting the ‘Old Pretender’ – James II – back on the throne. By 1745, it was his son, Charles Edward Stuart, or Bonnie Prince Charlie, who sought the crown.
He sailed to Scotland and soon raised an army of Highlanders. This was possible because, unlike the English nobility, clan chiefs had the power to compel men to enlist.
Initially, this was a highly successful rebellion, sweeping through Scotland, raising the Stuart standard in Edinburgh and pushing deep into England as far as Derby. However, an anticipated French invasion never materialised, and with very few of their English sympathisers taking up arms alongside them, they withdrew to Scotland.
Pursued by the British Army, they met their fate at Culloden Moor. This is a must-see, for this site saw the Highlanders routed. Bonnie Prince Charlie escaped, but the Jacobites’ cause was finished for good.
The authorities banned men from wearing tartan or playing bagpipes and abolished the clan system. Not until the Royal Family did so in the 19th century did wearing tartan become fashionable again, with the consequence that this is now seen as the symbol of Scotland and Scottishness.
Jacobite history is fascinating and an exploration of the places where it happens will be a memorable adventure, taking you from the stunning scenery of Glen Coe and Glen Shiel to the site of the historic denouement at Culloden.
Finally, if you sympathise with the Jacobites, here is a thought: the child of one of King James’s mistresses in exile was the direct ancestor of Princess Diana, so the next King William will restore the Stuart bloodline to the throne!
