Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing,
Onward, the sailors cry.
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to Skye.
Skye Boat Song
Also known as 'the Young Pretender', Prince Charles Edward Stuart was the grandson of the deposed Catholic King James VII of Scotland and II of England. He and his followers believed the throne of Great Britain rightfully belonged to the House of Stuart, and led the campaign, known as the Jacobite Risings of 1745, to overthrow King George II.
Although the handsome prince and his troops experienced some successes in battle against the Hanoverian forces, Charles was eventually halted at the Battle of Culloden in 1746 by the Duke of Cumberland and the Red Coats; the bloody clash was to be the last major battle ever fought on British soil. The tale of the Bonnie Prince Charlie's escape is now legendary and has inspired both song and story.
Find out more about the life and times of this Jacobite hero