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Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled, Scots wham Bruce has often led,
Welcome tae your gory bed or tae victory.
Noo's the day an' noo's the hour. See the front o' battle low'r.
See approach proud Edward's pow'r - chains an' slavery.
Wha would be a traitor knave, wha can fill a coward's grave,
Wha sae base as be a slave ~ let him turn an' flee.
Wha for Scotland's king an' law, freedom's sword will strongly draw.
Free man stand or free man fall, let him follow me.
By oppression's woes an' pains, by your sons in servile chains,
We shall drain our dearest veins, but they shall be free.
Lay the proud usurper low, tyrants fall in every foe.
Liberty's in every blow ~ let us doo or dee.
(Robert Burns)
Charles Edward Stuart or Bonnie Prince Charlie, was born at the Palazzo Muti in Rome on 31st December, 1720. The son of James Francis Edward Stuart and the Polish Princess Clementina Sobieski, he was baptised Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Maria. Grandson of King James II of England
Charles father, James, was the only surviving son of the Catholic King James II and VII, who died in exile in France, after his Protestant daughter, Mary II and her husband William III had taken the throne at the Glorious Revolution of 1688. The Stuart descendants of James II had remained in exile since then, a thorn in the side of the Hanoverian dynasty which had eventually supplannted them on the throne of Britain.
"Bonnie" Prince Charlie was famed for good looks and charm. From the start Jacobite hopes rested upon him. He was an attractive and boisterous child on whom his parents doted. He was tall and slim with
a red beard. He had ability in languages and was taught to speak English, Italian, French and Latin.. but the young Pretender was the most tragic of princes. Born to parents in exile, his upbringing and education were unsettled.
Charles experienced warfare for the first time at the siege of Gaeta, only fourteen at the time, he was reported to have conducted himself bravely when under fire. His parents relationship had deteriorated over the years, his deeply religious mother spent long periods in unhealthy fasting and excessive devotions. Sadly, this undermined her health and Clementina died in 1735. So at fifteen Charles was left without his mother.
He developed great physical endurance and persistence of character, he devoted his life to the cause of regaining the lost throne. Charles, who from the start knew Jacobite hopes rested upon him and what they expected from him.
He raised an Army and forged a brilliant campaign in Scotland in 1745 when he was no more than 25. The following winter, in February 1746 he was stricken with pneumonia. A bitter defeat at Culloden 4/13/1746 broke his spirit and he had a nervous breakdown, wandering over Europe, unable to regain his former glory.
Upon the death of his father in 1766, Charles became a king without a country. He married 18-year-old Princess Louisa of Stolberg in 1772, they had a son who died shortly after birth, she left him eight years later.
His daughter from a former mistress, came to live with him and he had her appointed the Dutchess of Albany. She lived with him until he died. He died of alcohol abuse and apoplexy in Rome, 1/31/1788.
Note:
It now is known that he travelled to England on several occasions
and attended dances and various events. Giving many people cause to be
very nervous that he was in attendance. Not only that but the English
supplied him with a pension and lodging when in London.
He lamented over the horse he rode at Culloden, enquiring to it's health
as it had been wounded at the battle field. He also lamented for "My
poor Highlanders" although not given credit by others for his feelings.
