Bonnie Prince Charlie, or Charles Edward Louis Philip Casimir Stuart, was the son of the executed English King, James Stuart. Charlie was brought up a Roman Catholic and was taught to believe that the Stuarts were the true ruling family of England and Scotland. From his birth the Prince was at the center of the Jacobite revolt and he was trained in the military arts so that he would be able to lead his own army to war and reclaim his rightful kingdom.

The French agreed to ‘lend’ Charlie their army but when he arrived in France they withdrew their offer, too afraid of England’s power. Nevertheless, Charlie went ahead with his plan to over take Scotland and in the 1745 he landed there with less than a dozen supporters. It was his plan to rally together the Scottish clans, his plan worked as many people believe him to have the divine right of Kings, a power that was invested in him by the God. After defeating the King’s army Bonnie Prince Charlie’s supporters numbered over 6000.

Unfortunately at The Battle of Culloden on the 16th April 1746 the Jacobite army was defeated by William Aufustus, the Duke of Cumberland. Thousands of Jacobites were killed but the Prince managed to escape with a bounty of £30,000 or $1 million on his head. After the battle Charlie fled to the Island of Benbecula, where Flora MacDonald lived.

Flora MacDonald was born in the village of Miltion in the Western Isle in 1722 but soon moved to Skye after her father’s death (Ranald MacDonald of Miltonas) when her mother was re-married to Hugh MacDonald. In 1746 O’Neil, Bonnie Prince Charlie’s servant and faithful follower, approached Flora asking her to help smuggle the Prince off the island to France before being discovered by General Campbell. Flora was reluctant at first for she was not a Jacobite follower but her fiancé Allan MacDonald and O’Neil persuaded her to help Bonnie Prince Charlie escape.


Flora gave her own account of what happened: “After Miss MacDonald (with some difficulty) agreed to undertake the dangerous enterprise, she set out for Clanranald’s house, Saturday, June 21st and at one of the fords was taken prisoner by a party of militia, she not having a passport. She demanded to whom they belonged? And finding by the answer that her stepfather was then commander, she refused to give any answer till she should see their captain. So she and her servant, (Neil MacKechan), and another woman, Bettie Burk, a good spinster, and whom he recommended as such in a letter to his wife at Armadale in Sky, as she had much lint to spin. If her stepfather (Hugh MacDonald of Armadale) had not granted Miss a passport she could not have undertook her journey and voyage. Armadale set his stepdaughter at liberty, who immediately made the best of her way to Clanranald’s house and acquainted the Lady Clanranald with the scheme, who supplied the Prince with apparel sufficient for his disguise, viz. a flower’d gown, a white apron, ect., and sent some provisions along with him.”

The plan was to snuggle the Prince off the island disguised as Betty, Flora’s maid lest the servants should be making their observations. They were to cross approximately 45 miles of ocean in a rowing boat until reaching Rudha Phrionnsa, or Prince Charlie’s Point.

They left on the 27 June and for several days sailed in stormy conditions until they reached their destination were they hid for the night in a cottage on far form the water. In the morning they travelled over land to Portree were there was ship was waiting to take the Prince back to France.

It is said that the during the journey the Prince sung Flora many songs including ‘The King shall enjoy his own again’

“…for who better may
Our high sceptre sway.
Than he whose tight it is to reign:
Then look for no peace,
The wars will never cease”
Till the king shall enjoy his own again.

They parted at Portree and Flora returned home. As they were leaving the Prince gave Flora a locket with his portrait in it saying I hope, madam, that we may meet in St James’s yet. Despite this, she never saw Charlie again.

On her way home she was held prisoner in Dunstaffnage Castle, and then for a short time in the Tower of London as a traitor but was released shortly after under the Act of Indemnity of 1747.

History Store Brass Basket Hilt Claymore Double Edged Culloden Claymore Sword Two Handed Scottish Claymore Sword Black Steel Hoop Oak Barrel - 10 Liter

In 1750 Flora married Allan MacDonald when she returned to Skye and 24 years later they emigrated to North Carolina. Allan or Flora’s husband fought in the American War of Independence with the Hanoverians but they were forced to leave when Allan was captured. Flora returned home to her family and was soon followed by Allan. She died on the 4 March 1790 at the age of 68 and it is said that she died in the same bed that Bonnie Prince Charlie had slept in when staying at their house and was buried in the sheets used by the Prince.

About the Author
Charlotte Gardner, a guest blog writer, is currently studying archaeology at the Australian National University. In her spare time she likes to read and write about eccentric historical moments. Her love of old buildings and older stories was sparked when she visited Italy. One of Charlotte’s greatest wishes is that in a few thousand years her skeleton will be dug up by an archaeological investigation team and put on display in a national museum. You may contact Charlotte via email at: charlotteg86@gmail.com.

The Americans at the outset of the Revolutionary War were outnumbered by the British in military capacity by 3 to 1, were poorly trained and had less arms power as well as financial resources at their disposition. The American advantage resided in that they were fighting on land they knew better than the British, familiar as they were with the wilderness of the terrain they themselves had populated and fought for against the Native Americans. The Americans also had excellent leadership for a young coalition of colonies: George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Patrick Henry were among the great political, military, and ideological minds behind the American push for independence.

The revolution began in Lexington, Massachusetts on April 18, 1775, when British General Thomas Gage sent 700 soldiers to destroy guns and ammunition stored by the colonists in the town of Concord near Boston, provoking response from the colonists. The British also attempted to arrest two key leaders of the patriot movement, Samuel Adams and John Hancock. The colonists elected George Washington as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army and under his guidance entered the subsequent battle with the British on Breed’s Hill on June 17, 1775, today remembered as the Battle of Bunker Hill.

By the summer of 1776, the colonies were organized and decisive enough to declare their independence from Britain in a formal resolution. After forming a committee to draft the declaration of independence, the document was endorsed by the Congress on July 4, 1776.

On December 25, 1776, after a stalemate on the battlefront of New York, George Washington and 2,500 of his soldiers crossed the Delaware River at night and attacked British and Hessian forces. Washington and his troops overpowered the opposition suffering only six wounded soldiers and cemented the path towards victory for the Revolutionary forces. By March 1777, Washington’s army had routed the British out of most of New York and New Jersey back towards New Brunswick.

In the months prior to and including July of 1777, the British attempted to take the Hudson River Valley in order to cut New England off from the other colonies and leverage control in this manner. They were able to defeat American forces at Fort Ticonderoga under General Burgoyne and his 7,700 troops on July 6, 1777. British Lieutenant Colonel St. Leger and his troops were set to join General Burgoyne from Canada as was the army of General Howe from New York. This reinforcement failed to materialize as St. Leger’s troops were defeated by Benedict Arnold and his American militia, forcing their retreat to Canada, while General Howe’s forces were held back by Washington’s forces at the Battle of Brandywine and then at the Battle of Germantown. General Burgoyne’s forces attacked General Gates’ American forces twice, but he was driven back each time. Meanwhile, on September 26, 1777 Britain’s General Howe was able to occupy Philadelphia, forcing the American Congress to relocate to York, Pennsylvania.

A decisive battle was fought and won by the Americans in Saratoga on October 7, 1777 when the American forces under General Horatio Gates and General Benedict Arnold defeated General Burgoyne’s army. On October 17, 1777, about 5,700 of General Burgoyne’s men surrendered to the Americans and were sent back to England. This was the point at which the French government recognized the independence of the United States of America. By July 1778, the French would also declare war on Britain and ally themselves with the American effort. The British would be further threatened and put at a disadvantage in their counter efforts against the Americans when the Spanish also declared war on the British, though establishing no alliance with the United States, and other European countries such as Holland and Poland gave their support to American initiatives. The British, in turn, fought back allying themselves with various Native American tribes.

Colonial History Store Oak Barrels Charleville Rifle with Bayonet - American Revolutionary War American Revolutionary Infantryman Scale Model Kit Andrea Miniatures Spain 1:32 (54mm) The American Revolution DVD Collection

By 1783, Britain had signed a peace treaty with Spain and France while Spain, followed by Sweden, Denmark, and Russia, formally acknowledged the United States of America. On February 4, 1783, England officially ended hostilities with the United States of America and on April 11, 1783, the American Congress officially declared an end to the Revolutionary War and it was formally ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783.

By 1944, the bombing of German troops, towns and strategic locations had been going on for almost a year but the Allies had yet to launch a full ground invasion of Northern Europe. After much discussion and a number of different proposals, the Allied Powers decided on a coordinated attack beginning on the beaches of Normandy, France. What was to become known as the D-Day invasion was one of the most violent, dramatic and victorious moments for the soldiers and commanders of World War II.

D-Day didn’t happen overnight. Months before the scheduled sea and air invasion, British and American fighters had concentrated their efforts on weakening the enemy approximately a hundred miles around the beaches. Railway lines were disabled and German troops kept under heavy bombardment. The hope was that when the Allies did land the Germans would have difficulty defending the beaches, be forced to retreat and give up their occupation of France.

False information was sent to the Germans suggesting that the invasion would take place further along the coast at Calais, about 150 miles from the actual site. To increase the believability of the deception, American commanders had rubber tanks and planes manufactured and placed them on the English coast at Dover right across the channel from Calais. The dummy squadrons’ also convinced German leaders that the invasion force was much bigger and better equipped that it was.

The invasion was called Neptune, a part of the grander plan Operation Overlord and was commanded by American commander Dwight Eisenhower. Even though the hope had been to begin a few days before, bad weather delayed the attack until June 6. Warships, amphibious vehicles, planes, boats, ships and approximately 150,000 land troops and 11,000 aircraft took part in the initial invasion.

The Allies landed at five beaches: Omaha, Utah (American troops), Gold, Juno and Sword (British and Canadian troops). Planes dropped bombs, amphibious tanks rolled out of the water and parachuted soldiers charged the beaches. Despite the element of surprise and the coordinated attack, there were problems. The American beaches suffered the worst. Of the 10,000 plus that died that day, 6,000 were American. Bogged down by German defenses and troubled by miscommunications, many lives were quickly lost. Against all hope, the men fought forward capturing the beaches and wrestling command of France back from the Germans.

D-Day started on June 6, but the Allies continued to land troops and supplies along the Normandy coast until June 11. By that time, over 300,000 men, 50,000 vehicles and 100,000 tons of support and supplies had landed on the beaches. During the entire invasion 425,000 men were lost on all sides, making D-Day one of the wars most bittersweet successes.

D-Day was the name the British military gave to the day that the battles and invasions took place. After June 6, 1944 the term came to represent the invasion of France alone. Despite the overwhelming presence of British and American troops, soldiers from Canada, Poland, Belgium, Australia, Greece, Czechoslovakia, New Zealand, Norway and the Netherlands also landed on the beaches that fateful day, giving both life and limb for the liberation of France and the defeat of one of history’s most notorious men. Adolf Hitler and the Germans never recovered from D-Day and a few months later, the concentration camps were liberated and the bloodiest war in history was at an end.

World War II Store World War II Newsreels 4 DVD Film Library Band of Brothers (Blu-Ray) German Luger Pistol German World War II Helmet Replica - Plain Rim

History Collectors: We offer a wide selection of museum quality replicas and authentic items representing nearly every century of the Common Era and the most significant civilizations of ancient history. Once you browse through our online catalogue, we are certain you’ll find the perfect gift for yourself or a loved one with an interest in history.

Queen Elizabeth I is considered by many to be one of Britain’s greatest leaders. Her strength and resolve in the face of overwhelming odds, as the Spanish fleet entered waters with the threat of land invasion, remains one of the Empire’s most enduring stories. The attack of the Spanish Armada of 1588 began in mid May and was the culmination of conflicts between Britain and Spain.

Catholic Spain was led by King Philip II who had at one time been married to Mary, the sister of Queen Elizabeth, with the hopes of making England a country of Catholicism. In the heat of the Reformation, Elizabeth chose Protestantism for her country which better suited her socialistic leanings and belief in the ability of her subjects to think for themselves. The contention between the former allies grew.

The rebellion against the Roman Catholic faith was widespread with rioting and destruction of popish artifacts taking place in Europe’s major cities. King Phillip was Dutch but leaned towards his Spanish possessions which had only increased after the abdication of Charles V and the break up of the Hapsburgs territories. It was a tumultuous time across Europe as old and new ideas clashed, often violently. When Philip sent troops to the Netherlands to quash the rebellion, he only created more resentment and confused loyalties.

Elizabeth had funded the rebellion for some time but didn’t want direct open conflict with Spain. But problems with the Dutch had split the nation. Elizabeth sent troops to prevent a total collapse of the area. By 1586, small run ins, pirateering and growing hostilities resulted in both England and Spain building up their navies.

The 16th century was a time of discovery and expedition, especially by the Spanish and English. The Spanish fleet, or armada, was financed totally by the gold “retrieved” during visits to the Americas but the choice of vessel although new was no match for what would become the Royal Navy. Britain was an island country and therefore of a seafaring mind. Their ships were great and, coupled with the assistance of their Dutch allies, the armada could only win by careful planning and a lack of confidence by the British. Fortunately for history and England they had neither.

The Spanish set sail for Britain in May of 1588 accompanied by their German and French allies. The armada consisted of approximately 130 ships and they were making straight for British waters with the plan to invade the country. But the Spanish fleet was a miss match of vessels from cargo ships to small boats and many never made it to English waters. After rough weather and the loss of several ships, the Spanish went to harbor only to sail again in June. They reached Calais in July where they anchored making ready to attack England.

England’s highest military advisors held counsel with the Queen to determine the best course of action given the circumstances. The British Navy had increased its strength in the previous months and needed now only the rallying cry of a Queen to get them motivated for the fight. It was Elizabeth’s words to her troops that helped spur the British fleet onto victory and have gone down in history as one of the world’s greatest speeches.

“And therefore I am come amongst you at this time, not as for my recreation or sport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live or die amongst you all; to lay down, for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honor and my blood, even the dust.” –Elizabeth I

Duly inspired by a determined queen, the British attacked. They began by sending eight ships covered with ignited pitch (tar and straw on fire) into the Spanish fleet causing chaos and a number of other fires. Then the guns began to boom. Both sides were heavily armored but the rumored 190 British ships carrying 17,000 men quickly claimed victory. Although Spanish vessels weren’t captured by the British navy, they were forced to flee and hopes of a respite, rendezvous and return attack quickly fell from favor. The British were determined to win and the British Isles remained free of foreign invasion then and to this day.

“I know I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart of a king, and of a king of England, too; and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realms.”-Elizabeth I

There never was another great fleet of ships attempting to pull down the crown, nor was there another royal like Elizabeth I. The victory of 1588 did not end Spanish aggression and conflict between the two nations went on for several more years but Phillip did not try his luck again. Today, every British school child is told the story of the Spanish Armada when Britain was tested and not found wanting. And although this once global empire would go on to invade, plunder and colonize the world, that night in July of 1588 will always remain a positive victory.

Replica Ships San Felipe Museum Quality Replica Ship The San Felipe Model Ship - 1690 (Museum Quality) The Spanish Armada Spanish Galleon Museum Quality Replica Ship