Latest / The Story of Scotland: Clans, Crowns, and the Fight for Identity — Fexingo History / The Jacobite Risings: From Revolution to Culloden
Transcript
- Lucas: So last time we left off at Killiecrankie — that stunning Jacobite victory in 1689, with Bonnie Dundee charging down the hill. But Dundee was killed in that battle, and the Jacobites lost their best commander. Luna: Wait — they won the battle but lost the war, essentially? Lucas: Exactly. The Jacobites under Colonel Alexander Cannon tried to follow up, but they were badly beaten at the Battle of Dunkeld just a month later. The Cameronians — a Presbyterian regiment — held out against a much larger Highland force. That pretty much ended the first rising. Lucas: But the Jacobite cause didn't die. It simmered for over fifty years, waiting for another chance. And that chance came in 1745, when Charles Edward Stuart — Bonnie Prince Charlie — landed in Scotland. Luna: He was James VIII's son, right? The 'Old Pretender'? Lucas: Right. James Francis Edward Stuart was the son of the deposed James VII. He'd tried to invade in 1708 and 1715, but both failed. Charles, his son, was young and charismatic. He landed on the island of Eriskay in July 1745, with just seven men. But he managed to rally the clans. Lucas: The clans were reluctant at first — many remembered the disasters of '15 and '19. But Charles's charm and promises of French support won them over. He raised his standard at Glenfinnan, and by September, his army of about 3,000 was marching on Edinburgh. Luna: And Edinburgh just... let them in? Lucas: Almost. The city surrendered without a fight, though the castle held out. Charles set up court at Holyroodhouse. Then came the first big test: the Battle of Prestonpans, east of Edinburgh, on 21 September 1745. Lucas: The government army under Sir John Cope was badly outmanoeuvred. The Highlanders charged through a mist at dawn, and the battle was over in fifteen minutes. Cope's forces were routed. It was a stunning victory for the Jacobites. Luna: So they had Edinburgh, they had a big win — why didn't they just hold Scotland? Lucas: That's the big question. Charles wanted to invade England. He believed that a march on London would trigger a French landing and a general uprising of English Jacobites. His Scottish advisors, especially Lord George Murray, thought it was madness. But Charles insisted. Lucas: So in November, the Jacobite army — now about 5,500 strong — crossed into England. They got as far as Derby, about 130 miles from London, by 4 December. And then they stopped. Luna: What happened? Lucas: They'd lost momentum. No French landing materialised. English support was minimal — only about 300 volunteers. Meanwhile, two government armies were converging: one under the Duke of Cumberland, the other under General Wade. The Jacobite council voted overwhelmingly to retreat back to Scotland. Lucas: Charles was furious. He called it a betrayal. But the retreat began. It was a grim winter march back north, with Cumberland's army in pursuit. Luna: And then Falkirk? Lucas: Right. On 17 January 1746, the Jacobites turned and fought at Falkirk Muir. They won again — another Highland charge, another government rout. But they couldn't follow up. The clans began to melt away, heading home with their plunder. By February, Charles's army was down to maybe 3,000. Lucas: The last stand came at Culloden, east of Inverness, on 16 April 1746. The ground was flat, boggy, and open — terrible for a Highland charge. Charles ignored the advice of his generals and chose to fight there. Luna: So it's like he forced the worst possible battlefield. Lucas: Exactly. The government army was better equipped, better disciplined, and had artillery. Cumberland's cannons tore holes in the Jacobite lines. When the Highlanders finally charged, they were exhausted, outflanked, and mown down. The battle lasted about an hour. Hundreds died. Lucas: What followed was even worse. Cumberland ordered a brutal crackdown. Wounded Jacobites were executed on the field. For months afterward, government troops scoured the Highlands, burning houses, confiscating cattle, and killing anyone suspected of sympathy. It was deliberate ethnic cleansing. Luna: And that's why they call him 'Butcher Cumberland'. Lucas: Yes. After Culloden, the British government passed a series of acts to destroy the clan system. They banned the carrying of weapons, banned tartan and kilts, abolished heritable jurisdictions. The Highlands were effectively disarmed and pacified. Lucas: Charles escaped, famously helped by Flora MacDonald, and eventually fled to France. He died in Rome in 1788, a broken alcoholic. The Stuart cause was finished. Luna: But the cultural impact lasted — the romantics turned it all into a lost cause legend. Lucas: Right. In the 19th century, the Jacobite risings were romanticised by authors like Sir Walter Scott. Bonnie Prince Charlie became a tragic hero. But the reality was brutal: Culloden ended the old Highland way of life and accelerated the Clearances. Luna: Speaking of which — before we go further, I just want to mention that if you've been enjoying these deep dives into Scottish history, they really only happen because of listener support. A few dollars a month at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo makes a tangible difference in keeping the show ad-free and independent. Lucas: Absolutely. It's listeners like you who let us spend the time on episodes like this — digging into the archives, getting the details right. So thank you to anyone who chips in. Luna: Now, where were we? The Clearances — that's a whole other chapter, and it's directly linked to the aftermath of Culloden. Lucas: Yes. The Clearances were in many ways the final act of the Jacobite story. The government's destruction of the clan system left clan chiefs without their traditional military role. Many turned into landlords, and they saw their tenants as an expense. The result was the forced displacement of tens of thousands of Highlanders over the next century. Lucas: But that's a topic for another episode. For now, let's just reflect on how a single battle — Culloden — marked the end of one Scotland and the beginning of another. Luna: It's sobering. Thanks for walking us through it, Lucas. Lucas: My pleasure. Next time, we'll look at the Highland Clearances in depth — the people, the policies, and the lasting scars.