In 1689, James VII and II was deposed. There then followed over half a century of attempts to reclaim the throne of Great Britain for the Stuart dynasty: the Jacobite challenge. 

National Museums Scotland now cares for a variety of objects that relate to this tumultuous time. Read on to learn more about the Jacobites – who they were, what they wanted, what became of them, and their representation in the national collection. 

Who were the Jacobites?

The Jacobites were the supporters of King James VII, his son James Frances Edward Stuart, and his grandson, Charles Edward Stuart (also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie). The name ‘Jacobite’ derives from the Latin for James, Jacobus. 

Who were the Stuarts?

The Stuarts were one of the oldest dynasties in Europe. They had ruled in Scotland since 1371, holding off all challengers. In 1603, they inherited the crowns of England and Ireland, when James VI and I ascended the throne following the death of Elizabeth I. 

Why did conflict break out?

Though the Stuart dynasty had survived civil war, regicide and exile, in 1688, the lineage was torn into two competing camps divided by religion. By the late 1680s, many of James VII's Protestant subjects opposed his personal Catholicism and legal efforts to expand the rights of rights of Catholics in England and Scotland. 

In 1688, the birth of a male heir James Francis Edward led to concern about the continuation of a Catholic dynasty. Prominent Protestant English politicians called on James VII’s oldest daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange to come over to England. In response to the invasion, James VII fled London. He was considered to have relinquished his English throne and in 1689 the Scots declared that he had forfeited the Scottish crown too. Protestants Mary and William became the new monarchs of England, Scotland, and Ireland. With the Acts of Union between England and Scotland in 1707, the Act of Settlement, which stated that the monarch must be Protestant, was extended to Scotland. This brought in the Hanoverian dynasty in 1714.  

What actions did the Jacobites take?

While most Scots supported William and Mary, others still favoured James. James' supporters – the Jacobites – threw themselves behind his attempts, and those of his son and grandson, to regain the throne. The Jacobite military risings of 1708, 1715 and 1719 threatened both the Scottish and British state, but failed. The final rising, of 1745-6, was led by Charles Edward Stuart on behalf of his father. It too failed, and the Jacobite cause quickly became a political irrelevance. Despite this failure, the mythology surrounding the lost Jacobite cause grew – and persists today.