The
Story of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite
rising.
The Jacobite rising of 1745 - 46, was
an attempt by the ousted house of Stuart to re-establish
itself on the throne of England which in 1714 had
passed to the Hanoverians. Charles Edward Stuart,
known to history as "The Young Pretender"
and to romance as " Bonnie Prince Charlie"
was the Grandson of England's last Stuart King, James
II. Born in 1720 Charles Edward lived at the French
court of Louis XV and obtained from the king, in 1744,
an arrangement to invade England with French troops
in the following year in order to oust the house of
Hanover and to place the Catholic Stuarts once more
on the English throne.
However, bad weather and a strong British
naval presence in the channel prevented any French
army from embarking on the venture. Charles, undaunted
by this, sailed alone for Scotland where he knew the
core of Stuart supporters were to be found. Upon landing,
several of the highland clans declared for him and
were to form the core of his forces. He took Edinburgh
and defeated a British force at Prestonpans, after
which he began an advance into England itself, hoping
to draw support along the way. He was to be disappointed.
The English were at best indifferent
to him and few rallied to his cause. Moreover, superior
British forces were mustering in the south under the
leadership of Willaim Augustus, the Duke of Cumberland,
a younger son of the reigning king George II. Charles
Edward retreated back to Scotland with the British
army close on his heels.
Several engagements followed and culminated
in the following year. 1746, at the battle of Culloden
moor.
At this battle Charles Edward commanded
a force of some 5000 Highlanders, and Cumberland an
army of about 9000 regular British troops. The Scottish
centre was broken and the highlanders sufferd utter
defeat. Cumberland relished the nickname "the
Butcher" henceforth bestowed upon him by the
Scots.
Charles Edward escaped the slaughter
and fled in disguise to the island of Skye, aided
by his faithful Flora Macdonald. Thence, he departed
to the continent never again to set foot on British
soil.
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