How much of the Jacobite rebellions in the British Isles from the late 17th-early 18th century was based on principled support for restoring the Catholic Stuart monarchy, and how much was a pretext for advancing Irish and Scottish nationalism against England?

by Elphinstone1842

Edit: I mean mid-18th century since they ended in 1745.

Dinwittie

From a British perspective, the Jacobite rebellions and plots were mostly associated with support for the restoration of the Catholic Stuart monarchy in opposition to William & Mary, and later on as opposition to the Hanoverian monarchy. Throughout the late 17th century and the first half of the 18th century, religion was at the forefront of division within British society (I use the term British anachronistically to cover the English and Scottish). Jacobitism became synonymous with the Tory party throughout this period, who were uncomfortable or outright opposed the results of the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the Act of Settlement of 1701.

Some historians see the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715 as mixed with Scottish nationalism. However, within Scotland, the 1715 Rebellion was very much like a civil war, pitting Jacobites against Presbyterians in the Lowlands, and pro-Hanoverian clans against Jacobite clans in the Highlands.

The Jacobite Rising of 1745 was clearly based on replacing the Hanoverian monarchy with the Stuarts. There is an element of Scottish nationalism, as Charles Edward (Bonnie Prince Charlie) had made it understood that he would abolish the union as soon as he conquered England. Yet, throughout the early successes of the '45, Charles Edward did not abolish the union. However, once again, within Scotland, the '45 was like a civil war, with many Highlanders fighting for the Hanoverians against the Jacobites. In fact, by 1746, most of the Jacobite Army was composed of Lowlanders (contradicting the stereotype that this was a Highland uprising, or that Scottish nationalism was exclusive to the Highlanders). The primary divisions were political and religious: Jacobites were primarily Episcopalians and Catholics, while those who fought against them in Scotland were Presbyterians.

TLDR: The Jacobite cause was a bit of both. In Scotland, the Jacobite conflicts were civil war like, rooted in differences of religion and politics. In England, Jacobitism was much more political, attempting to undue the Glorious Revolution.

Source: Paul Monod, Imperial Island: A History of Britain and Its Empire, 1660-1837 (Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009).