1745–1746

The last rising: Bonnie Prince Charlie and Culloden

In 1745 the Jacobites in Scotland tried once more to bring the Stuart family back to the throne, in place of George I's son, George II. The attempt was led by James II's grandson, Charles Edward Stuart, better known as Bonnie Prince Charlie.

He landed in Scotland, where clans from the Highlands gave him their support and formed an army. He won some early battles, but in 1746 George II's army beat him at the Battle of Culloden. Charles escaped back to mainland Europe.

The fighting at Culloden was over in less than an hour, and it is often called the last pitched battle (a planned battle between two full armies) fought on British soil. Afterwards Charles hid in the Highlands and on the islands for months. A woman called Flora MacDonald helped him escape by boat to the Isle of Skye, dressed as an Irish maid named "Betty Burke", and a later Scottish song, the "Skye Boat Song", tells the story of that escape.

The end of the clans and the Highland Clearances

After Culloden, the clans lost most of their power and influence. Chiefs who had the trust of the English king became landlords, and the people of their clans became tenants who had to pay rent.

Many Scottish landlords got rid of the small farms, called crofts, to make space for big flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. This is known as the Highland Clearances. By the early 19th century, forcing people off the land had become very common, and many Scots left for North America at this time.

Era contents: 1700 – 1800