Who was Bonnie Prince Charlie & what was the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745?

Gallery

Bonnie Prince Charlie Portrait by Allan Ramsay (c) National Galleries of Scotland

Image Credit: National Galleries of Scotland

Bonnie Prince Charlie Statue Cathedral Green Derby

Image Credit: Derby Museums

Hogarth's Britons

Image Credit: Derby Museums

The March of the Guards to Finchley by William Hogarth

Image Credit: The Foundling Museum

Hogarth's Britons Exhibition Banner

Image Credit: Derby Museums

Hogarth’s Britons: Succession, Patriotism and the Jacobite Rebellion

Now open until 4^th June 2023 at Derby Museum and Art Gallery, Hogarth’s Britons: Succession, Patriotism and the Jacobite Rebellion tells the story of dynastic rivalry and civil war through the eyes of master artist William Hogarth and his contemporaries. Stunning artworks and original artefacts – including loans from The National Gallery, The National Portrait Gallery, National Galleries of Scotland and The Foundling Museum – guide the visitor through a tumultuous period of British history that changed the monarchy forever. But just who was Bonnie Prince Charlie, what was the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 and how are they connected to Derby?

Place

Derby Museum & Art Gallery

The Strand, Derby

Who was Bonnie Prince Charlie?

Charles Edward Stuart also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, was a member of the exiled House of Stuart dynasty who continued to covet the British throne following the overthrow of James II in the Glorious Revolution of 1688-1689. Charles was born in Rome in 1720, the son of James Francis Edward Stuart (also known as the Old Pretender) and Maria Clementina Sobieska. A statue of Charlie can be found at Cathedral Green in Derby city centre, by the Museum of Making.

Place

Cathedral Green

Cathedral Green, Derby

Place

Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Silk Mill Lane, Derby

What was the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745?

As the grandson of the deposed King James II of England, Charles launched an attempt to regain the throne from the Hanoverian king, George II known as the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745.

Bonnie Prince Charlie landed in Scotland in July 1745 with only a few supporters, but he quickly gained the support of the Scottish Highland clans who were unhappy with Hanoverian rule. He defeated the British army at the Battle of Prestonpans in September 1745 before marching south into England.

The prince's army reached Derby on December 4, 1745, marking the furthest point of his advance into England. However, the prince's advisors urged him to retreat, as they believed that the Hanoverian forces were gathering strength and that it would be impossible to capture London.

Bonnie Prince Charlie and his army retreated back to Scotland, where they were eventually defeated by the British army at the Battle of Culloden in April 1746. The battle was fought on April 16, 1746, near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.

The Jacobite army at Culloden, led by Charlie, was made up of Highland clansmen with some French and Irish troops. They were heavily outnumbered and outgunned by the British army, which was led by the Duke of Cumberland, son of King George II.

The battle lasted less than an hour and resulted in a decisive victory for the British army. The Jacobite army suffered heavy losses, with around 1,500 killed or wounded, while the British army lost around 300 men. Bonnie Prince Charlie managed to escape the battlefield and went into hiding, but he was eventually captured and forced to flee to France.

The Battle of Culloden marked the end of the Jacobite rebellion and any hopes of a Stuart restoration. It also had a significant impact on Scottish culture and society, as the British government responded to the rebellion with brutal measures that included the suppression of Highland culture and the banning of the wearing of traditional Highland dress.

The march to Derby and the subsequent retreat and defeat at Culloden had a profound impact on British history, as it helped to cement the power of the Hanoverian dynasty and end any hopes of a Stuart restoration. The story of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite rebellion has been immortalized in literature and popular culture and is still celebrated in Scotland today.

Exhibition details

Find out more about Charles’ story, the Jacobite Rebellion and the art of William Hogarth by visiting Hogarth’s Britons at Derby Museum and Art Gallery.

Opening times and admission:

Monday – Closed
Tuesday to Saturday – 10am to 5pm​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​Sunday – 12pm to 4pm

Admission is free (Give What You Think). No need to book!

Hurry, exhibition closes 4^th June 2023!

Images courtesy of Derby Museums, The Foundling Museum and National Galleries of Scotland (c)