Who Was When
Wars

Jacobite rising of 1745

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Sides

Jacobites and French troops

Jacobite army of Charles Edward Stuart: Highland clans, Lowland regiments and the Manchester Regiment raised in England and Kingdom of France: Scots and Irish troops of the French army (the Royal Écossais and men of the Irish Brigade), with money and arms

against
British government

Kingdom of Great Britain: the British Army under the Duke of Cumberland, Sir John Cope and Henry Hawley and Scottish regiments of the British Army, Highland militia such as the Argyll Militia, and clans loyal to the government

Countries today: England, France, and Scotland

What happened

In July 1745 Charles Edward Stuart, grandson of the deposed James II and VII, landed in the Hebrides from a French ship to claim the British throne for his father. He raised his standard at Glenfinnan on 19 August, and Highland clans, chiefly Camerons and MacDonalds, joined him. In September his army entered Edinburgh unopposed, though the castle held out, and routed Sir John Cope's government army at Prestonpans. In November it crossed into England and took Carlisle. It reached Derby on 4 December, but few English recruits had joined beyond the Manchester Regiment, the hoped-for French landing had not come, and the council voted to turn back. In Scotland, reinforced by Scots and Irish troops of the French army, the Jacobites won at Falkirk Muir in January 1746. On 16 April the Duke of Cumberland's army, which included Scottish regiments and Highland militia, defeated them at Culloden. In the following months government troops killed wounded and fleeing Jacobites, executed prisoners, burned homes and drove off livestock across the Highlands. Charles left Scotland for France in September 1746.

Outcome: The rising ended at Culloden; the government then banned Highland dress and the carrying of weapons and passed laws against the clan system, and no further Jacobite rising followed.

Key events

Leaders

  • Charles Edward Stuart · Led the rising as regent for his father, the exiled James Francis Edward Stuart · Jacobites and French troops
  • Lord George Murray · Lieutenant-general of the Jacobite army; argued for the retreat from Derby and commanded the rearguard · Jacobites and French troops
  • James Drummond, Duke of Perth · Jacobite commander; led the right wing at Prestonpans · Jacobites and French troops
  • Lord John Drummond · Officer in French service; led the Royal Écossais, a Scots regiment of the French army, in the rising · Jacobites and French troops
  • Prince William, Duke of Cumberland · Son of George II and Captain-General of the British Army; commanded at Culloden · British government
  • Sir John Cope · Commander of government forces in Scotland in 1745; defeated at Prestonpans · British government
  • Henry Hawley · Commanded the government army defeated at Falkirk Muir · British government

Meanwhile, elsewhere in

Sources