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1715 Jacobite rising

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1715 Jacobite rising
Conflict1715 Jacobite rising
PartofJacobite risings
Date1715–1716
PlaceScotland, England, Ireland
ResultGovernment victory; Hanoverian consolidation
Combatant1Kingdom of Great Britain supporters of House of Hanover
Combatant2Jacobites supporting James Francis Edward Stuart
Commander1George I of Great Britain, John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, Thomas Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, William Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan
Commander2James Francis Edward Stuart, John Erskine, Earl of Mar, Thomas Forster, Lord Mar
Strength1Mixed British Army and militia
Strength2Highland clans, English Jacobites

1715 Jacobite rising The 1715 Jacobite rising was an armed attempt to restore James Francis Edward Stuart to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland that unfolded across the British Isles in 1715–1716. It involved prominent figures such as the Earl of Mar, Duke of Argyll, and Lord Bolingbroke and culminated in battles, sieges, and political crises that tested the reign of George I of Great Britain. The rebellion linked networks from Highland clans and Scottish nobility to English Jacobite gentry and continental supporters like Louis XIV of France allies.

Background

The rising followed the 1707 Union of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain and the 1714 accession of George I of Great Britain after the death of Queen Anne. Discontent among supporters of the deposed Stuart line intersected with the careers of military and political figures such as John Erskine, Earl of Mar, James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde, and exiled courtiers at the French court. International contexts included the aftermath of the War of the Spanish Succession, diplomatic rivalries among France, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Dutch Republic, and the diplomatic maneuvering visible in the Treaty of Utrecht settlements.

Causes and planning

Causes combined dynastic loyalty to James Francis Edward Stuart, opposition to the Hanoverian succession, and regional grievances among Highland clans and Scottish Jacobite nobles like the Earls of Mar and Tweedale. Planning involved clandestine coordination by émigré Jacobite agents such as Atterbury, exiled courtiers, and military organizers who sought support from continental patrons including elements sympathetic at the Court of Louis XIV remnants and Jacobite financiers. English conspirators included figures tied to the Tory opposition such as Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke and networks reaching into counties like Northumberland and Durham. The logistical effort drew on Scottish castles, clan levies, and émigré regiments, with muster points around Perth, Stirling, and the Border counties.

Invasion and early operations

Arrested plotting in England and naval interdictions constrained attempts at a French-backed invasion, but a landing of Jacobite forces in Scotland was organized with the proclamation of James Francis Edward Stuart at Braemar and assembly at Forfar and Cookston. The Earl of Mar raised the standard at Braemar, rallied Highland chiefs including Clan Mackenzie, Clan MacDonald, and Clan Cameron, and advanced on Perthshire and Dundee. In England, uprisings in Northumberland and Manchester featured leaders such as Thomas Forster and support from gentry in Yorkshire and Lancashire, but coordination with Scottish operations proved inconsistent. Government responses marshalled forces under commanders like the Duke of Argyll and deployed royal regiments and militia units from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Major engagements

Key military actions included the capture of Perth and sieges at Bannockburn approaches, culminating in the pitched action at the Battle of Sheriffmuir where Earl of Mar faced Duke of Argyll. Other notable confrontations occurred at Bannockburn approaches, the stand-offs near Dundee, and skirmishes in Northumberland such as at Preston. The Battle of Sheriffmuir was indecisive tactically but strategic advantage shifted to Government forces when the Jacobite attempt to seize London faltered and Jacobite leaders failed to capitalize on local successes. Sieges at places like Brownhill and the fall of Jacobite positions in Aberdeenshire and Forfarshire followed, amplified by defections and the capture of leaders.

Collapse and aftermath

After the climax at Sheriffmuir and the failure of the English rising at Preston, Jacobite momentum dissipated; key figures like Forster were captured and the claimant James Francis Edward Stuart returned to exile. The government under George I and ministers such as Robert Walpole and military commanders including Earl of Cadogan moved to secure the Highlands, enforce prosecutions, and pass legal measures affecting rebel estates. Trials and attainders targeted nobles and clan chiefs, while some Jacobites received pardons or exile. The suppression involved reprisals, disarmament efforts in the Highlands, and the reassertion of Crown authority across Scottish counties and border regions.

Political and social impact

Politically the rising intensified mistrust between factions like the Tories and Whigs, affected careers of politicians including Bolingbroke and Atterbury, and influenced legislative measures in Westminster concerning treason and succession. Socially it accelerated changes among Highland clans through loss of estates, shifting allegiances of nobles such as the Earl of Mar and Viscount Dundee legacies, and migration from affected districts. The rebellion altered the relationship between Scottish institutions like the Church of Scotland and the British state, and reshaped patronage networks across Edinburgh, Glasgow, and rural shires.

Legacy and historiography

Historiography of the rising has engaged scholars assessing the roles of personalities such as the Earl of Mar, the military leadership of the Duke of Argyll, the diplomacy of Louis XIV sympathizers, and the socio-economic strength of Highland clans. Debates involve interpretations by historians influenced by sources relating to Jacobite propaganda, government correspondence from Whitehall, and continental archives. The 1715 rising cast a long cultural shadow in literature and memory, informing later commemorations of figures like James Francis Edward Stuart and influencing portrayals in works about subsequent events such as the 1745 campaign and broader studies of the Stuart cause.

Category:Jacobite risings