5 Scottish Clans That Defied the Jacobites (and Why)

The Jacobite Risings of the 18th century tore Scotland apart, pitting clan against clan in a struggle for the British throne. While many Highland clans rallied behind the exiled Stuarts, some chose to side with the Hanoverian government. In this video, we'll delve into the fascinating and often complex reasons why certain clans chose to support the Hanoverians, and examine five specific clans that made this pivotal decision.

We'll start with a brief overview of the Jacobite conflicts, setting the stage for the dramatic choices faced by Scottish clan leaders. Then, we'll take a closer look at five clans that joined the Hanoverian side:
Clan Mackay
Clan Sutherland
Clan Ross
Clan Munro
Clan Grant

For each clan, we'll explore their history, their leadership, and the specific circumstances that influenced their decision to support the Hanoverians.

Finally, we'll identify four key factors that these five clans shared, which contributed to their alignment with the government:

Religion
Clan Alliances
Clan Feuds
Independent Highland Companies

Join us as we uncover the intricate web of politics, personal loyalties, and strategic considerations that shaped the choices of these five Scottish clans during one of the most tumultuous periods in British history.

ALL PODCAST EPISODES MENTIONED HERE ARE ON THIS CHANNEL IN THE PODCAST SECTION!! Also, find them on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

#JacobiteRisings #ScottishHistory #Clans #Hanoverians #Scotland #History #BritishHistory #18thCentury

[michaelweatherhead]

I’ll be in SLC for April 2025 Conf, will be attending my mission reunion (Scotland).. I NEVER stop thinking about the motherland. Listening to her music, learning all I can, even with my own border reiver ancestors, etc. thanks to you, Clint, Bruce Fumey, several others, for the knowledge shared with us.

[williamgrant]

Please can you do the grant clan and the 3 lines of origin

This has been so confusing on reaching as the origin isnt really set in stone.

[molecatcher]

The Stewart kings Charles 1, Charles 2 and James VII / 2 had been making life very hard for the Presbyterian Scots, especially the Covenantors. As such, these Scots did not want to see the Stewarts getting back to rule.

[JoshuaDKizer]

I am a proud descendant of Clan Grant, via the Lords of Corriemony (formerly Freuchie), Urquhart, Inverness, Scotland (John Grant 1st being my 14th great grandfather). I learned today we are descended from the oldest historical Norseman, Hakon Laderjarl, who was recorded in the Sagas by Snorre Sturlasson as the 20th descendant of Woden. 🎉 That lineage is contested by historians, however Hakon was born in 838 AD making him the oldest historical ancestor I can claim! Pretty amazing. Love that Norway documented ancestry so diligently and deliberately, and passed it on through the Scottish.

[laurie-ir]

Hello, Canadian here. Thank-you. I've wondered why Clan Gunn wasn't on the Jacobite side and now I have a better understanding. When you mentioned the names of the five Clans at the beginning, I was thinking--we have relatives in that Clan.... lol and now I understand THAT better as well. Didn't think of how close we were when all living there. 💙🍁

[Weasel-vpzk]

I'm a descendent of the Grants of Glenmoriston (my 14x great grandfather is John Mor Grant, 1st Laird of Glenmoriston). They fought against the rest of Clan Grant and sided with the Jacobites. After the failed '45 Rebellion, government troops burned down the clan seat, Invermoriston House. However, Patrick Grant of Glenmoriston was pardoned. Many of clansmen were less lucky and shipped off to Barbados as indentured servants after their surrender. Jacobite Highlanders were seen as rebels in arms, so it was either that or execution if they were captured. Famously, Prince Charles Edward Stuart hid in Glenmoriston after Culloden in 1746.

[DouglasThomson-plsl]

One of the biggest misconceptions of this period is the religious angle, ie Catholic vs Protestant. In truth by the 18th Century Scotland had become a massively Protestant country with the majority being Presbyterian and minority Episcopalian. Roman Catholicism had been reduced to something in the region of a mere 30, 000 adherents. My own opinion is that support for the Stewart cause was based on blind loyalty to the family who had been the Royal Family of Scotland for centuries and of Great Britain for less than a century. The rest of the country in fact the majority took the view that not withstanding their dynastic claim, but their actions in regard to Divine Right of Kings, disregard to Parliament etc they became unfit for purpose.

[johnkelly]

Kenneth Mac Alpin is a Gael not a Norman. He united the Dalriadan Scots and the Picts becoming the first king of Scotland.

[GS-zpzh]

Have you done a video on divided clans? -- i.e., ones that fought on both sides of the Jacobite vs. Hanoverian battles? I know my own clan (Cochrane) was one of them, and suspect there were others that did the same.

[johngibson]

Sutherland (Dunrobin castle), MacKay (Varrich castle), Ross ( Balnagowan castle), Munro ( Foulis Castle), Grant ( Castle Grant) I only knew one from memory but it only took me 10 minutes research to get all the rest I had never visited.

[steammccracken]

I have a lot of 2nd & 3rd Ross cousins. 1, Donald, still speaks Gàidhlig up on Cape Breton.

[GammaCharlotte]

In 1685 the Covenanters, led by Archibald Campbell, the 9th Earl of Argyle led an uprising. It's my opinion that both this uprising and the Jacobite uprising were over religion and religious persecution. Jacobites were catholics. Covenanters were early Presbyterians.

[dvorahchanahcohen]

Where can I find information on the Fairholmes?

[willhovell]

Great stuff, not drawn into the French funded catholic dreamer. Good call, hope that they and their clan folk were rewarded. So sad for the under-armed and under trained highland feudal clansman misled by their lairds. The Jacobites were despotic Stuarts who didn't understand the role of the English and Welsh parliament and that's why the English civil war happened and 10% perished. Scotland and England and Wales were majority protestants and a catholic monarch funded by the French who didn't understand Parliamentary sovereignty or whose first language was French. A parliament appointed Protestant Germans were much more preferable. If Charlie had reached London, the population would have risen up against him and avoided a replay of the 1640s

[ziggy]

My clan was Elliott, a lowland clan but individuals were found fighting on both sides.

[Slamb]

I am a decendant of the Ross's and the MacKays. Also the Lamonts and the Lindseys, I have ancestors on both sides.

[jmunro-graham]

James Stuart was the rightful lawful King, hence the Hanoverians were actually the rebels. The Stuarts were ousted because they were Catholic, after Queen Anne died they overlooked 68 direct lines to the throne because of their religion, George the 1st was the first Protestant inline. The Grants of glenmoriston were Ardent Jacobites.

[robtroup]

I only got 1 out of 5, and had a couple looked "familiar" ! Guessing McDougals and Campbells ?
The Duke of Sutherlands Castle, Robin Castle I think (?) is known to me as my Clan, the Gordons, missed the Duke by minutes as he escaped at the start of the '45 Rebellion!
I had no idea the Gordons were also Clan Chiefs of the Sutherlands!

[lesliehart]

Both were Great Grandsons of James VI and I, one was Protestant the other Catholic, One was Hanoverian the other Polish Italian, the Hanoverian branch came from the elder child

[alexandermccallum-yb]

Thank you for saying Scotland a little less like Scat land than some do still could do with some improvement though