Jacobite Rising of 1715

The Jacobite Rising of 1715 followed the accession of George I and drew support from Scottish nobles, Highland clans and English Jacobites who sought to replace the Hanoverian monarchy with James Francis Edward Stuart.

John Erskine, Earl of Mar, raised the Jacobite standard at Braemar, but the movement lacked clear strategic leadership. Fighting at Sheriffmuir in Scotland and Preston in England failed to produce a decisive Jacobite success, and government forces retained control of the main political and military centres.

James arrived in Scotland too late to reverse the campaign and withdrew in early 1716. The rising is the political background to Walter Scott’s Rob Roy and supports fiction about Highland networks, forfeited estates, trade and divided loyalty after the Union.