The Jacobite Rising of 1715 and the Murray Family (Paperback)
Brothers in Arms
Imprint: Pen & Sword History
Pages: 208
Illustrations: 20 black and white illustrations
ISBN: 9781526766809
Published: 2nd September 2024
History Hit
An article written by the author for Dan Snow's History Hit: 'Who Were the Murrays? The Family Behind the 1715 Jacobite Rising.'
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Based in Perthshire, the Murray family played an important role in all Jacobite rebellions, whether as rebels or supporters of the government. During the Great Rising of 1715, the head of the family the Duke of Atholl remained loyal to the Hanoverian government but three of his sons were Jacobites. Two of these brothers then went on to play major roles in the 1719 Rising and in the more famous '45.
What led to their decision to commit to the Jacobite cause? A look at the earlier years of the Murrays at the end of the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries sheds light on the family dynamics and helps explain how and why the brothers made the decisions they did. Traditionally the Murrays were thought to have perhaps made a conscious and pragmatic decision to have a foot in both camps, but the evidence presented here shows the brothers possessed a strong rebellious streak. Despite the heavily enforced regime of duty from their father and the Presbyterian piety of their mother, they refused to conform to their parents’ wishes and in varying degrees chose of their own volition, a different path to that expected of them.
Set against the backdrop of social unrest and anxiety over against English influence in Scotland, these choices had a significant impact on the history of the family and because of who that family was, a significant impact on the country.
Review by Edward James
Historical Novel Society website
An informative account of a neglected but potentially crucial episode in British history.
There are books aplenty detailing the Jacobite Rising of 1715, but Anderson’s stands out from the crowd. Looking at it through the lives of an influential Perthshire family, the Murrays, she traces the brothers’ rebellion against their father to follow the Jacobite cause. This is an intriguing analysis of a prominent family’s woes. I daresay this could be the basis of a binge-worthy television drama.
Scottish Field Magazine
The book is a discovery of the relationships of a famous and noble Scottish family in which women played a formative and extremely important role, through the meticulous examination of literary and epistolary sources.
On The Old Barbed Wire
Read the full Italian review here
This is a valuable look at one of the most significant families in early eighteenth century politics, and helps demonstrate how so many families could genuinely find themselves on opposing sides during the Jacobite revolts, and yet still remain devoted to each other.
History of War
Read the full review here
An interesting look at the rising - what lead to it and during it.
NetGalley, Alexandra Roth
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
NetGalley, Rebecca Hill
Rosalind Anderson has undertaken a piece of history, that is so often overlooked, and given it a breath of fresh air. Scottish history of any type can be difficult to write. Thankfully, the Jacobite Rebellion has been well documented.
The role of the Murray family was profound, and the many different nuances that they underwent. I was fully drawn into this book, as the details given flowed perfectly throughout.
In many books, it is easy to get lost, especially when there are so many names and places to remember. While this book is full of each, I didn't find myself losing where I was, or who was who.
Well worth the read!
About Rosalind Anderson
Rosalind Anderson graduated from Stirling University with a BA Hons in History. She worked as an officer manager for a Stirling based Press and Photo Agency, during which time she married and had two children. Since 2012 she has worked for Historic Environment Scotland as a steward where she also developed an education tour on the 1715 Rising. This is her first book.