FutureLearn

Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites (FutureLearn)

Offered by University of Edinburgh, National Museum of Scotland,
Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites (FutureLearn)

Explore the story of Prince Charles Edward Stuart and the Jacobites using iconic objects from National Museums Scotland. Discover the Jacobite rebellion and the fight for the throne of Britain.

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The Jacobites, loyal followers of an exiled king, sparked political upheaval in Scotland. From the Glorious Revolution of 1688 to the Battle of Culloden in 1746, their story is one of rebellions, plots, espionage, tartan-clad heroes and bloody defeat. It is a story clouded by failure and cloaked in romance, making it sometimes difficult to disentangle from the turbulent historical reality.
On this course you will unravel the Jacobite story. Using objects from National Museums Scotland you will discover the lives of the rulers and their followers who sought to change history.

What topics will you cover?

  • Who were the Jacobites?
  • Introduction to material culture
  • Meet the Stuart Dynasty: James VI of Scotland and I of England down to Prince Charles Edward Stuart
  • Catholic Kings: the reign of James VII of Scotland and II of England
  • Losing the crown: James VII of Scotland and II of England deposed
  • The Exiled Stuarts in Europe
  • The Jacobite Challenges 1708, 1715, 1719
  • Introducing Prince Charles Edward Stuart
  • Raising the Standard: the final campaign 1745
  • The Road to Culloden The final Jacobite battle
  • The Aftermath post-1745
  • Romanticising Jacobitism in music, fiction and on screen

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

  • Explore the key stages in the demise of the Stuart dynasty
  • Explore the significance of the objects presented in this course
  • Identify the key protagonists in 18th century British and European politics, in the context of the Jacobite campaigns
  • Assess the impact of the Jacobite campaigns
  • Reflect on myth and reality of the Jacobite campaigns
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