Charles Edward Stuart, commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, was a prominent figure in Scottish and Jacobite history during the 18th century. He was born on December 31, 1720, in Rome, Italy, as the grandson of King James II of England and VII of Scotland, who had been deposed during the Glorious Revolution of 1688.
Bonnie Prince Charlie’s claim to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland stemmed from his Stuart lineage. In 1745, at the age of 24, he launched a daring attempt to reclaim the British crown for the exiled House of Stuart, initiating the Jacobite Rising of 1745-1746.
Leading a small army of Scottish Highlanders and supported by French and Irish allies, Bonnie Prince Charlie landed in Scotland in July 1745. His charisma, youth, and claim to the throne sparked enthusiasm among Jacobite supporters, particularly in the Highlands, where resentment against British rule was strong.
The Jacobite army achieved early successes, including the capture of Edinburgh and victory at the Battle of Prestonpans in September 1745. Encouraged by these triumphs, Bonnie Prince Charlie marched south into England, hoping to garner further support and rally English Jacobites to his cause.
However, the Jacobite advance stalled in England, and despite reaching as far south as Derby, they failed to attract the level of support needed to overthrow the Hanoverian government. Facing dwindling supplies and the threat of a government counterattack, Bonnie Prince Charlie reluctantly ordered a retreat back to Scotland in early 1746.
The turning point of the Jacobite Rising came with the decisive Battle of Culloden on April 16, 1746. The poorly equipped and outnumbered Jacobite army suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the government forces led by the Duke of Cumberland. Bonnie Prince Charlie narrowly escaped capture and went into hiding, becoming a fugitive from British authorities.
Following the defeat at Culloden, Bonnie Prince Charlie became the subject of an extensive manhunt throughout the Highlands. Despite numerous close calls and daring escapes, he ultimately managed to evade capture and flee to the Isle of Skye before eventually making his way back to France.
In the years following the Jacobite defeat, Bonnie Prince Charlie lived in exile in France and Italy, never again attempting to reclaim the British throne. He died in Rome on January 31, 1788, at the age of 67, leaving behind a legacy of romanticism, rebellion, and Scottish nationalism. Despite the failure of his uprising, he remains an enduring symbol of Scottish identity and resistance to British rule.
