Dr Arran Johnston: Bonnie Prince Charlie on the Battlefield
Wednesday 17th July 2024
Dr Arran Johnston spoke virtually to the Society on Wednesday, July 17th 2024 at 7:00PM BST. His talk, entitled 'Bonnie Prince Charlie on the Battlefield', is now available via YouTube: https://youtu.be/D_ETN5iFIow
Synopsis:
In 1745, Charles Edward Stuart sailed to Scotland with a small entourage and a grand ambition: the overthrow of King George II and the restoration of the Stuart dynasty. With little military experience and few resources, the expedition seemed unlikely to achieve a great deal. In the following months, however, the young prince succeeded in raising an army and leading on a series of challenging campaigns which brought him to within 120 miles of London. Ultimately the rising ended in defeat at the Battle of Culloden, and the whole enterprise has often been judged through the lens of its failure. This in turn leads to a diminished sense of the military capabilities of the rising's leadership, especially Charles Edward himself. This talk will look at the battlefield performance of the prince on the fields of Prestonpans, Falkirk and Culloden, in terms of his personal experience of those engagements and his contributions to their outcome.
Speaker Biography:
Dr Arran Johnston is consultant curator of the Battle of Prestonpans Museum and director of the Scottish Battlefields Trust. Originally from Derbyshire, he studied at the University of Edinburgh before completing his doctorate at the University of the West of Scotland. His books include The Battles of Bonnie Prince Charlie, and On Gladsmuir Shall the Battle Be.