The Jacobite Rebellions (1689-1746) (Bell's Scottish History Source Books.)

About this book

The work is a compact scholarly compilation that attempts to chart the turbulent decades of Scottish history from the Glorious Revolution through the final Jacobite defeat. In a preface that acknowledges the impossibility of covering every event within a mere 120 pages, J. Pringle Thomson explains that he has selected four pivotal episodes, the Darien scheme, the Union of the Crowns, and the risings of 1715 and 1745, and supplements them with brief sketches of the period’s religious, social, and industrial life. The book is built from a rich tapestry of primary sources, drawing on memoirs, parliamentary acts, letters, and contemporary histories, each entry clearly cited and organized chronologically. The opening chapters already illustrate the method, beginning with a detailed account of the 1689 Convention of Estates and the competing loyalties of figures such as the Duke of Hamilton, the Marquis of Athole, and Lord Stair.

Written in the measured, documentary style of early‑20th‑century historiography, the text reflects the scholarly conventions of its 1914 publication date. Its voice is that of a careful editor who lets the original sources speak, offering occasional explanatory commentary rather than narrative dramatization. Readers who appreciate a source‑based approach to Scottish history, students, researchers, or enthusiasts of the Jacobite era who enjoy navigating original memoirs, letters, and official documents, will find this volume a valuable, if concise, reference.