On July 12, 1691 (Julian calendar), the Battle of Aughrim became one of the most decisive battles in Irish history. The forces of King William III of England, led by General Godert de Ginkell, defeated the Jacobite army loyal to King James II near Aughrim in County Galway. The battle was a turning point in the Williamite War in Ireland and effectively destroyed Jacobite hopes of restoring James to the throne.

On June 30, 1691, a Williamite army commanded by the Dutch general Godert de Ginkell captured the strategically important town of Athlone after a brief but intense siege during the Williamite War in Ireland.

Athlone was a vital crossing point on the River Shannon and a key defensive position for the Jacobite forces loyal to James II of England. The town’s capture opened the way for the Williamites, supporters of William III of England, to advance deeper into Ireland.

De Ginkell’s forces quickly overcame Jacobite resistance, securing the eastern side of the town before crossing the Shannon and forcing the defenders to retreat. The victory became a major turning point in the campaign, leading toward the decisive Battle of Aughrim just weeks later, which effectively ended Jacobite hopes of restoring James II to the throne.

On June 28, 1692, Louisa Maria Stuart was born at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye in France, far from the throne her family had lost. She was the youngest child of the deposed Catholic King James II of England and Mary of Modena, born four years after the Glorious Revolution forced her father into exile.

Known as the “Little Princess,” Louisa Maria became a symbol of hope for the Jacobite movement, which sought to restore the Stuart dynasty to the British throne. Although she never ruled, her birth gave supporters of the exiled Stuarts a living connection to the royal line.

Raised at the French court, Louisa Maria remained loyal to the Stuart cause throughout her life. Her existence represented the continuing struggle between the supporters of the deposed Catholic monarchy and the new Protestant order established in England.

On June 27, 1746, Scottish heroine Flora MacDonald carried out one of the most famous acts of loyalty in Scottish history. Following the devastating defeat of the Jacobite army at the Battle of Culloden, Charles Edward Stuart was a hunted fugitive, seeking to escape capture by government forces.

Flora MacDonald helped the exiled Stuart claimant flee across the sea to the Isle of Skye, disguising him as an Irish maid named “Betty Burke.” Her courage and quick thinking allowed Bonnie Prince Charlie to evade his pursuers and eventually escape to France.

Monkstadt House, Isle of Skye, Scotland

The Battle of Culloden was 280 years ago today.

The course of British, European and world history was changed at Culloden on 16 April 1746. A ferocious war had come to Scotland, dividing families and setting clan against clan.

It was here that the Jacobite army took their last stand to reclaim the thrones of Britain from the Hanoverians for a Stuart king. The Jacobites fought to restore the exiled James VIII as king and were led by Prince Charles Edward Stuart, James’s son; George II’s government army (led by the Duke of Cumberland, George’s son) was equally determined to stop this happening.

In spring 1746, the Jacobite rising was in trouble. The decision to return north from Derby, rather than press on to London, had marked a turning point in their fortunes. Despite victory at the Battle of Falkirk in January, the Jacobites had not capitalised on their success. Now Charles was heading to meet the Duke of Cumberland’s troops in the Highlands, to prevent them from taking Inverness. However, many Jacobite troops were still far from Inverness and were urgently summoned to join the Prince. Food and money were in short supply and the army was not at full force – few commanders thought they could win a battle in this state.

In contrast, Cumberland marched his troops from Aberdeen in good order. They were closing in on the Jacobite army for what would surely be the decisive battle. Morale was high as they camped at Nairn on 15 April, Cumberland’s 25th birthday. He gave his soldiers extra rations and drink in celebration.

Rather than risk a pitched battle in their weakened state, the Jacobites agreed on a final desperate plan: a surprise night attack. This could have been a brilliant strategy: sleeping Government troops would have been no match for the Jacobites. In reality, as the hungry and exhausted Jacobite column stumbled along in the dark, their progress was too slow and they had to turn back.

As dawn broke, battle was still not inevitable. Even now, there was time for the Jacobites to draw back to Inverness and regain their strength at a safe distance. Bitter arguments broke out between the senior commanders – even the French envoy pleaded for the Prince to withdraw.

But the Prince was determined and took the decision to fight there and then. Many of his soldiers were exhausted from the night march, while others were away looking for food or had yet to arrive in the area.

Some Jacobite leaders favoured a retreat to high ground south of the River Nairn. The Prince preferred to fight where they stood, on the moor at Culloden. With Cumberland’s army in sight, the pipers began to play and the tired army struggled into position.

At around 1pm, the Jacobite artillery opened fire on government soldiers. The government responded with their own cannon, and the Battle of Culloden began.

Bombarded by cannon shot and mortar bombs, the Jacobite clans held back, waiting for the order to attack. When at last they moved forward, it was through driving rain, smoke, gunfire and grapeshot. Upon reaching the government lines, some fought ferociously; many others never reached their goal. This time the government troops were prepared for the dreaded Highland charge; under brutal gunfire and faced with deadly bayonets, the Jacobites were forced to retreat.

Hardly an hour had passed between the first shots and the final flight of the Prince’s army. Charles watched from safety as the Duke of Cumberland emerged victorious. Although a short battle by European standards, it was an exceptionally bloody one that changed life in the Highlands forever.

Hang on to your hats, this is a longer than usual post about two original Jacobite's who supported James VII

Having walked out of the Convention of Estates* on 18th March, 1689, John Graham of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount Dundee, that;’s Bonnie Dundee, Bluidy Clavers depending on which side you were on, rendezvoused with the Castle governor, the Duke of Gordon, on this spot, urging him to hold out on behalf of the exiled James VII against the supporters of William.

The background to this started the previous year when news of the landing of William in 1688 withdrew from James VII the loyalty of the Scottish Presbyterians and magistrates of the capital, who now, with the wildest enthusiasm, welcomed the invader. William and his Queen, Mary, were proclaimed the rulers of Scotland by a few representatives of an illegally constituted Convention of the Estates, who set forth that King James had forfeited all claim to the Throne. 

The Duke of Gordon, who had been entrusted with the care of the fortress, finding the ancient city in the hands of a drunken mob which had ransacked the wine-cellars of Cavalier families, at once drew up the drawbridge. He soon discovered that the garrison was divided in its political opinions, and fearing that a mutiny was imminent he held a consultation with his officers, with the result that forty-four of his soldiers were deprived of the King’s uniform and dismissed from the service, their places being taken by double the number of Highlanders loyal to the Stuarts.

The Duke, being a Roman Catholic, was suspected by the new regime and requested by the Privy Council to surrender his command in favour of a Protestant officer; but this he refused to do, saying, "I am bound only to obey King James VII.”

The Duke, being a Roman Catholic, was suspected by the new regime and requested by the Privy Council to surrender his command in favour of a Protestant officer; but this he refused to do, saying, "I am bound only to obey King James VII.”

Meantime, John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee, had pushed north, and now reached Edinburgh with a remnant of Life Guards and Scots Greys who had refused to join the Scottish army in its revolt against James, and their presence gave great encouragement to the Royalists. Many bands of foot-soldiers from the surrounding country joined the revolutionary party, and they were reinforced by some six thousand Cameronians, who marched into the city bearing standards on which was displayed an open Bible surmounted by the words, “For Reformation according to the Word of God.” This great military display demoralized a section of the garrison, and the Duke of Gordon found himself in difficulties in dealing with them. 

“Bonnie Dundee” and other Royalists fled from the city with his band of troopers on hearing that William of Orange and his party had planned his assassination. The Duke of Gordon, from the ramparts of the Castle, followed their flight through his telescope as they galloped round the old church of the Holy Trinity and amongst the fields on the north side of the Castle rock. Gordon had fixed a red flag on the ancient postern as a sign that he wished to have a conference with the departing Viscount; on seeing this Dundee rode down the Kirk Brae, and, dismounting from his horse, scrambled up the rugged rock to the famous postern, now marked by a memorial tablet, where he met the beleaguered Duke of Gordon.

Dundee implored the Duke to come with him and raise the Highland clans for King James. To this suggestion Gordon would not listen, preferring rather to hold the Castle at all costs. As Dundee was about to retire the Duke asked him, “Whither go you?” “Wherever the shade of Montrose may direct me,” was the pensive and poetic reply, and Dundee clambered down the rocks to rejoin his troopers after bidding farewell to the Duke, whom he was never to meet again.

Gordon, and his brave soldiers held out until their food and munitions were running out in mid June. Gordon was held as a traitor to King he never swore loyalty toom the promise he wouls not take up arms against William.

Major-General John Graham of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount Dundee fel at The Battle of Killiecrankie about six weeks later.

Dundee is remembered in two famous songs, sung by amongst others the Corries.Bonnir Dundee.....

Come fill up my cup, come fill up my can Come saddle my horses and call out my men Unhook the west port and let us gae free, For it's up wi' the bonnets o' bonnie Dundee!

And Killiecrankie....

I faught at land, I faught at sea, At hame I faught my Auntie, O; But I met the Devil and Dundee

On th' braes o' Killiecrankie'o

March 17th 1746 Lord George Murray and Cluny Macpherson (chief of the clan) fell upon the Campbell militia posts in the Braes of Atholl, at the head of Strathtay, and wiped them out.

A brilliant feat of arms, it aroused a blaze of Jacobite optimism. Lord George Murray proposed a further audacious plan to move south to retake his family home of Blair Castle and recruit more men from the Atholl lands.

On 15th March Murray made a rapid march into Perthshire with his Atholl Regiment. At Ruthven he was joined by Archibald Menzies of Struan, and Cluny MacPherson. He had 700 men in total and by the night of 16th March he had reached Bunrannoch (near what is now Kinloch Rannoch).

The first Hanoverian outpost at Rannoch fell within minutes and throughout the rest of the night and the early hours of the 17th the Jacobites captured thirty government outposts across Perthshire. By noon on this day 270 years ago Lord George Murray’s force was at the gates of Blair Castle.

Some Hanoverian garrisons had fought, some had given up quickly and some had even mutinied and gone over to the Rebels. Most posts were commandeered farm houses and offered little protection to the defenders. They were no match for a determined force of several hundred Jacobites itching for a fight.

The Jacobites had struck a blow against Cumberland’s forces in the Southern Highlands. Prince Charles’s army may have retreated north but they could still fight back.