5 Battle of Culloden myths debunked

Photo credit: Outlander/Starz Image acquired via Starz Media Room

The Battle of Culloden is an important moment in Scottish history that affected the lives of clansmen throughout the country. However, it’s also a battle full of myths about the events during and after.

Events in history are often shrouded in myths. These can be due to fictional portrayals twisting the facts (don’t get me started on Philippa Gregory’s fact twists!) or simply not doing enough research or finding enough to support a claim. The Battle of Culloden isn’t exempt from fact twisting and myth creation.

While Diana Gabaldon attempted to mostly stick to facts, there are elements of the Battle of Culloden glossed over. This can lead to fans believing some of the myths surrounding the historic battle that would see the end of clan life as it was known at the time.

#1. It was all about Stuart vs. Hanover

A main belief is that the Battle of Culloden was only about putting a Stuart king on the British throne. While that was certainly a main pushing point, it wasn’t the only reason people joined the cause. Just looking at how the cause grew over the years and when a major turning point in Scotland came after 1707.

What happened then? It was the joining of the union. Scotland and England became one, ruled formally not just by one monarch but by one parliament. It’s not surprising the Scottish wanted to fight back, especially the Highlanders. Parliament was in London, filled with English. They had no idea what it was like to live in the Highlands.

How is it possible to prove this? Well, between 1689 and 1691, the numbers were in the low thousands. Oh, and Jacobite claims date back further than 1689, with some fighting against Charles I (although this was predominately an English civil war). Around 22,000 took up arms against the Crown in 1715, just seven years after the Act of Union in 1707. That number dropped to around 11,500 in 1745, as more people accepted that the Union was staying.