Jacobite Rebellions, The

This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. The Jacobite cause traces its origins to the late 17th century, when political and religious upheavals in Britain culminated in the deposition of King James II of England and VII of Scotland. James, a Catholic monarch in a predominantly Protestant country, became a deeply controversial figure. His attempts to grant religious tolerance to Catholics and his efforts to increase his royal authority alienated many Protestants. In 1688, the Glorious Revolution resulted in his forced abdication, and William of Orange, a Protestant, ascended to the throne. This event marked the beginning of a long period of political struggle between the supporters of the Catholic Stuarts, known as Jacobites, and those loyal to the Protestant monarchy. James II’s exile in France solidified his status as the symbolic head of the Jacobite cause. His supporters, primarily Catholics and those who had lost political power under William and his successors, rallied behind the Stuart family. They believed that James and his descendants were the rightful heirs to the British throne, and they were determined to restore the Stuart monarchy by any means necessary. This belief in the divine right of kings, a core tenet of the Stuart family’s claim, was integral to the Jacobite cause, as they viewed the overthrow of James as an affront to God’s will. In 1701, the death of James II without a male heir further complicated the succession issue. The Act of Settlement passed by Parliament in 1701 ensured that only Protestants could inherit the throne, which led to the exclusion of James's son, James Francis Edward Stuart, from the line of succession. This act, combined with the increasing strength of the Protestant establishment, further entrenched the division between Jacobites and those loyal to the new monarchy. For the Jacobites, the exclusion of James Francis Edward Stuart, or the "Old Pretender," from the throne served as a rallying cry for continued rebellion.