Bonnie Prince Charlie
Prince Charles Edward Stuart - "Bonnie Prince Charlie"
Charles Edward Stuart (1720 - 1788) also known as"Bonnie Prince Charlie", the "Young Pretender" or "Teàrlach Eideard Stiùbhairt" in the Gaelic, was born, in Rome, on the 31st of December 1720, the eldest son of James Francis Edward Stuart, the "Old Pretender" or "Old Chevalier" and Mary Clementina of Poland. Charles Edward Stuart was a highly charismatic character who made a great impression on the society of the day from a very early age and earned great respect for the tremendous courage shown at the Siege of Gaeta when he was only 14 years old. Bonnie Prince Charlie is most known for his adventure in 1745 when he led the Jacobite uprising against the, Hanoverian, King George III which so nearly succeeded but ultimately ended in disaster at Culloden moor in 1746. Following his disasterous defeat at Culloden Bonnie Prince Charlie was forced to flee but was forced to spend many months in hiding before finally leaving Scotland for France. The many romantic legends that have subsequently arisen associated with his time and Flora MacDonald tend to overshadow the other aspects of Bonnie Prince Charlie's life.
The Young Pretender, The Old Pretender, The Jacobites and The Hanoverians
To fully understand the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie you will need to understand many things. Charles was of the Stuart dynasty which had started in Scotland with King Robert II in 1371 and had ended with his grandfather King James VII of Scotland and II of England in 1688. James had lost the throne of Britain to his daughter Mary and her Dutch husband William of Orange. Many, especially in Scotland, still regarded James as their lawful king and these followers became known as "Jacobites" from the latin for James, "Jacobus". When James died in 1701 the Jacobites declared his son King James VIII & III.
In 1714 George, Elector (Ruler) of Hanover became King George I and his supporters where known as Hanoverians. The Hanoverians referred to James Francis Edward Stuart as the "Pretender" to the throne (at that time the word "Pretender" meant "Claimant") whereas the Jacobites regarded George I as nothing more than a usurper. When Charles Edward Stuart was born the Jacobites saw him as being a rightful heir to the throne whereas the Hanoverians saw him as another "Pretender" and so he became known as the "Young Pretender" and his father the "Old Pretender".
The chart below depicts the disputed succession to the crown of Great Britain and Ireland.
| King James VI of Scotland And I of England | |
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| Charles I of Gt. Britain |
Hebrietta-Maria of France |
Frederick V of Bohemia |
Elizabeth Stuart | ||
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| James II | Mary Beatrice of Modena |
Ernst-Augustus of Hanover |
Sophia of the Rhine |
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| James The "Old Pretender" |
Mary Clementina of Poland |
George I of Gt. Britain |
Sophia of Zella |
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| Prince Charles Edward Stuart The "Young Pretender" (The Jacobite Heir) |
King George II of Gt. Britain (The Hanoverian Heir) |
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Bonnie Prince Charlie Links
BBC Presentation
A BBC presentation of the travels of Bonnie Prince Charlie
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