CHARLES EDWARD STUART

When Charles Edward Stuart - The Young Pretender/The Young Chevalier/ Bonnie Prince Charlie -  washed up at Borrodale on the shores of Loch nam Uamh in 1745 - he instantly appealed to the Scottish clansmens' hearts as well as to their aspirations of a Stuart king once more on the British throne.

The outcome of this 'adventure' was to change the geography - politically, ethnographically and linguistically - of Scotland for ever.

He marched at the head of his army, and reached as far south as Derby without confronting any serious opposition.  

London - the English capital with all its glittering promise, lay ahead.   Optimistic that a large number of the enemy's army would defect to his Cause, Charles wanted to press ahead and capture the virtually undefended capital.   However, Lord George Murray much less certain of accruing the necessary thousands of defectors, was strongly opposed to this plan and wished to retreat.   After holding a council of war, and 'sleeping on it', the Highland Chiefs backed Lord George. The Prince, finding himself isolated, was left with no choice but to retreat.  

All optimism and high spirits swiftly evaporated along with food and other supplies.   The retreat ended in a rout called Culloden.   This, the last battle fought on mainland Britain, cost Scotland dearly.

Many of our members who now reside in the US, in Canada, in Australia and in New Zealand, as well as other parts of the world, might still have been HERE had it not been for the holocaust which followed the Jacobite uprising.

tsaria  



 

I am sure he won't mind me revealing this -

Bob Atchison's forebears were Scottish silversmiths.   The name is forever carved in stone in the High Street of Edinburgh - better known as the Royal Mile.

tsaria

Tsaria, at great risk of offending you (but I hope you know I wouldn't!   ) - and bearing in mind the old Scottish-English rivalry in which I had an English history teacher!! Didn't Charles Edward Stuart prove rather a disappointment to his people? They were all waiting for him and taking great risks on his behalf, but he rather cowardly sneaked away...

I'm sure you will put me right on this!  

blu - that's precisely what I hoped to drive towards..............   But, as I am sure you know, there was rather more to it than that.  

The American Wars of Independence is a feature in the story too.

Thanks for helping me get this thread off the ground.

We'll wait to see if there are any bites.

tsaria

tsaria,
I am curious...how did the American Revolution play a role in this? Since in April 1746,Charles' forces were utterly routed at Culloden Moor. He was hunted as a fugitive for more than five months, but the Highlanders never betrayed him, and he escaped to France in September 1746.
The U.S Revolution occured in 1776...30 years after he escapted to France?

Charles married quite late in life didn't he? No children either. His brother Henry became Stuart pretender to the throne, but was a cleric, so had no children. The Jacobite claim passed to the descendants of Princess Henriette Anne, sister of Charles II. I beleive the current claimant in one Duke Franz in Bavaria, whose niece and heiress Sophie is married a Prince of Liechtenstein.

Tsaria, I'm also curious about the American War. Care to enlighten us?

The involvement of America and the Wars of Independence, in the story of Charles Edward Stuart is not immediately obvious.  

One story involves a very remarkable woman.   Such was her fame, she became the 'Princess Diana' of her day - although she was never a 'princess' neither was she 'royal'.

Her name - Flora MacDonald.  

She saved Bonnie Prince Charlie's life and through force of circumstance began a new life in North Carolina.

Her's is a great story which has never really been widely told.

tsaria

Tell us, tsaria! Tell, us! <gathers round the fire eagerly>

Thanks Prince Lieven - I'll wait until tonight.   It can be our 'Book at Bedtime'.   (Hope it doesn't put you to sleep!)

tsaria

How exciting!...What a pity we can't hear you telling the story in your gentle Scottish accent!!

I'm sure you will be very happy to know, tsaria, that only a couple of weeks ago in an English Primary School, the children were singing:


Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.

Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar,
Thunderclouds rend the air;
Baffled, our foes stand by the shore,
Follow they will not dare.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.

Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep,
Ocean's a royal bed.
Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep
Watch by your weary head.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.

Many's the lad fought on that day,
Well the claymore could wield,
When the night came, silently lay
Dead in Culloden's field.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.

Burned are their homes, exile and death
Scatter the loyal men;
Yet e'er the sword cool in the sheath
Charlie will come again.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.

Blue - you're marvellous.

tsaria

There we were, tsaria, all tucked up with our cocoa and teddy bears, waiting for the bed time story and you never came.  

I want a bedtime story! <sniffles> : - (

I am so sorry, but a little thing called 'life' intervened.   I will do my best to put some time aside later - in between packing for hols.

tsaria

"Teddy" and I have had our ice cream and are eagerly waiting for our bedtime story !!!