Part Three: The Bonnie Prince Returns

Part Three: The Bonnie Prince Returns

Time passed, as it does. And the Scottish people continued to survive as the new order consolidated itself. But underneath, there was discontent. Old wounds had not yet fully healed. And for the first time in a generation, it looked as though the Jacobite cause might succeed.

Thirty years after the failure of 1715, the Jacobite cause was still alive — but few expected it to rise again so suddenly. In July 1745, Charles Edward Stuart, the son of James Francis Edward Stuart, landed on the west coast of Scotland. To his supporters, he was Charles III.

To his detractors he was the ‘Young Pretender.’ In history, he would become known as Bonnie Prince Charlie. His arrival was not backed by a large army or overwhelming French support. In fact, many emphasise just how uncertain his position was. He arrived with only a small group of companions, limited funds, and no guarantee that the Highland clans would rise for him. Even some leading Jacobites urged caution, warning that without substantial foreign aid, the attempt was dangerously premature.

But Charles believed the moment had come. He travelled through the Hebrides and onto the mainland, seeking support. At first, the response was hesitant. Clan chiefs knew the risks. Yet gradually, support began to build. Key figures, including Donald Cameron of Lochiel, chose to commit. That decision proved pivotal. Once Lochiel joined, others followed.

What had seemed like a reckless gamble began to take shape as a real uprising. In August 1745, at Glenfinnan, Charles raised his standard. It was a symbolic moment. The formal declaration that the Jacobite cause had returned. Clans gathered, and an army began to form.

Historians often point to this phase as one of belief and momentum. Charles brought something that earlier efforts had lacked: personal presence, charisma, and a sense of urgency. He was not a distant claimant in exile. He was there, in the Highlands, asking men to follow him.

And they did. Within weeks, the Jacobite army moved quickly and effectively. Government forces in Scotland were unprepared for the speed and coordination of the rising. In September 1745, at the Battle of Prestonpans, the Jacobites won a decisive victory. It was swift and overwhelming, demonstrating that the uprising was no longer a symbolic gesture. Instead, it was a serious military threat.

For a brief moment, the Jacobite cause seemed stronger than it had been in decades. Inverness fell under Jacobite control. Stirling fell under Jacobite control. Edinburgh fell under Jacobite control. And the government’s authority in Scotland was shaken. But even at this high point, underlying weaknesses remained. Support was still uneven. Not all clans had joined, and crucially, the broader British support that had been lacking in 1715 had not materialised. The army was strong, but its future direction and its chance of true success were far from certain.

Still, in the autumn of 1745, none of that seemed inevitable. The Prince had returned. The standard had been raised. Victories had been won.