Culloden

An Incident in the Rebellion of 1745
David Morier
Source

Let it be known: Now I may have some of what follows wrong. The story of that time period being very complex to say the least. I mean whole books have been written about it. I'm simply giving you some background before presenting the video I mentioned yesterday.

In human history, the family is led by the father, the tribe by its chief, the nation by its king. Whenever humans have gathered, there seems to be the necessity to have someone in charge. That person is backed by violence, more usually the threat thereof.

The strongest get to be in charge and they will always gather to them those who wish to be near the seat of power. That's how armies began.

Europe in the early 18th Century was a web of kingdoms, principalities, bishoprics, dukedoms, and the like. France was a very big deal, the English were just starting to get their act together as a nation. Spain grew weaker by the decade, Austria stumbled along with its polyglot empire, Prussia was stirring (and would become a very large problem in the century to come), and all the little lands in between just wanted to keep their heads above water and their local rulers in power.

What about Russia, you might ask. Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great sat upon the throne. Peter had dragged the Russians into the modern era and they were a power to be feared in the east, but they were still far away in most European minds.

In the Scottish Highlands, the clan system ruled. Powerful chieftains ruled the land at the king's pleasure, Robert the Bruce had set it up that way. But in 1603 the nations of Scotland and England were joined under one king, James VI of Scotland. He ascended to the throne upon the death of Elizabeth I, becoming James I.

He was succeeded by Charles I (who if you remember died under the headsman's axe as England fell to Cromwell and his ilk). Long story short, Charles II was "restored" to the throne after Cromwell's death and his kid brother, James (James II in England, James VIII in Scotland) succeeded him upon Charles II's death.

Now James had been much exposed to the Catholic church while in exile in France during Cromwell's time. He was a Catholic ruling over a Protestant nation. Things came to a head when he was overthrown by a group of Protestant nobles who invited William of Orange (a Dutchman) to take the throne with his wife Mary, daughter of Charles I of England.

Now James and his second wife (Mary of Modena, both the King and Queen were now Catholic) had had a son, James Francis Edward Stuart. James had also decided to ease up on the persecution of Catholics and non-Church of England Protestants within his realm.

The specter of that son restoring Catholic power in England did not sit well with the Church of England nor a number of powerful nobles in the realm. So James was "sent off" and William brought in. When William died he was succeeded by Anne, a daughter of James II and ... ad infinitum it seems.

Dear Lord but the lines of the English monarchy are confused and intertwined.

Anyhoo, Anne was succeeded by George I, who wasn't even English but a German! Who was succeeded by George II, his son.

Now James Francis Edward Stuart was kicking his heels in Italy as Dad was no longer king. Someone had the bright idea to bring him back to Scotland and from there overthrow the British monarchy and restore Catholicism to Great Britain! (And get that German off the throne as well!)

Which led to the Rising of '45 and the defeat of the Highlanders at Culloden in 1746. As I mentioned yesterday, I grew up believing a certain set of "facts" which were really a collection of facts, myths, and family stories. Believe me, the 1745 Rising was not taught in school. (As was a lot of history being glossed over or completely ignored in school!)

All that being said, here's the video, it's over an hour long, made in the '60s, made by the BBC, but for all that, it rings true to me, given all the other things I know. (Or at least think I know.) It also has the benefit, in my mind, of being very good and entertaining, though as always YMMV.

All that being said, I still say ...

Scotland Forever!

It's in the blood dontcha know?