MONDAY 15th MARCH 2010MARCH HISTORY REPORT
Bonnie Prince Charlie- The Young Chevalier- also called the young pretender
Charles Edward Stuart’s Grandfather-James II of England and James VII of Scotland- only ruled from 1685 to 1688, before being forced to flee the country as William of Orange and Mary (James’s daughter) invaded- by invitation from the English government - and became King and Queen of England.
James II landed in Ireland in 1690 to try and regain his throne, but he failed and spent the rest of his life in exile. His son, James Francis Edward Stuart - the old pretender - also tried in 1715 by invading through Scotland, but failed also and spent the rest of his life in exile in Italy.
Charles Edward Stuart - son of the old pretender- was born in exile and as he grew up he longed to try and regain the throne of England. His chance came in 1744 after his father had got the support of the French Government for an invasion of England. He then travelled from Italy to France to assume command of the expedition which included 7000 soldiers, however the expedition had to be abandoned after fierce storms wrecked many of the French ships.
He still wanted to go, so with 7 companions he set sail for for Moidart, where Macdonald of Clanranald at once rallied to his colours.
The news of his landing filled the mainland Jacobites with concern, and one laird, always a fervent supporter of the Stuarts, begged him to abandon the enterprise. He carried on and raised his father’s standard at Glenfinnan. Men started to join him, and by November he was on the March with 6000 men.
On the 21st September 1745 he defeated a government force at Prestonpans, and on the 17th January 1746 he defeated another government force at Falkirk.
He then marched South into England to get the English throne as well, telling the clansmen that the English Jacobites would rise up and support them, but only 300 came from Manchester. So on reaching Derby the Clan Chiefs told him that they were going back to Scotland. He could not change their mind and was bitterly disappointed but had to accept it and go back. Little did he know that the English Government was in panic and George II had all his valuables packed on a ship on the Thames ,ready to take him back to Hanover.
So the Jacobites went back to Scotland ,with many clansmen deserting on the way, at Culloden they were totally defeated by the English forces under Duke of Cumberland.
Bonnie Prince Charlie was forced to go on the run, hiding from the English who were hunting him as he had a price of £30,000 on his head. He did however after some months succeed in reaching the shores of the same sea-loch where he had landed 14 months earlier, where a French ship took him back to France.
Bonnie Prince Charlie fully intended to raise more money and return with French soldiers but never did. He did visit London in disguise in 1750 and ended his days in a rented Italian palace with the Royal Coat of arms painted in the entrance hall, which still to this day bears the Royal cypher CRIII. He finally died in Rome on the 31st January 1788, and was buried in a church at Frascatti.
On Charles’s death he was succeeded as head of the house of Stuart by his younger brother Henry, Cardinal York, who by entering the Church had effectively destroyed the prospects of his dynasty, but nevertheless now assumed the title of Henry IX.
Henry died in 1807 and twelve years later, his body, his brother Charles’s body and their father’s were removed and placed in a marble tomb in St Peter’s Rome, which was paid for by George III.
The next meeting will be on Monday 19th April, and the subject will be 4/5 minutes on an Historical Character of your choice.
Michael Page.
