Talk and display: 1715: The great Jacobite rebellion

The Jacobite risings of 1715 and 1745 posed a significant threat to the British state, with protesters attempting to return the Stuarts to the throne after James II’s deposition during the 1688 Revolution.

We are marking the anniversaries of the Jacobite risings with a season of events and activities between September 2015 and April 2016, beginning with the 300th anniversary of the raising of the Jacobite standard at Braemar, and closing with the 270th anniversary of the Battle of Culloden.

Lacking the romantic imagery of the 1745 uprising of supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Jacobite rebellion of 1715 has received far less attention from scholars. Yet just eight years after the union of England and Scotland, it was arguably a more significant threat to the British state.

To mark the 300th anniversary of the rebellion, Professor Daniel Szechi reveals the surprising significance of their widely supported but ultimately doomed rebellion.

The accompanying original document display will show examples of records that have informed Dr Szechi’s research and give an insight into the holdings relating to the Jacobites at The National Archives.