When
George I, who was a
German, became king of the
Great Britain in 1714, many
Jacobites thought that their chance had come. Jacobites were the supporters of the direct descendants of
King James II who had been driven out of the country by his rebellious subjects. They thought that King George would be unpopular and that the people might rally to
James Edward, James II's son, who was in
exile.
In 1715 the Earl of Mar raised the Jacobites of the
Highlands in rebellion while a force of
English supporters seized the town of Preston. It was to no avail. By the time that James Edward had arrived from
France, the rebellion had all but collapsed.
Troops loyal to King George quickly recaptured Preston and the Highlanders melted back to the mountains. This Jacobite rebellion is called the '15 to distinguish it from the later and larger rebellion of 1745. This later rebellion was led by
Bonnie Prince Charlie, son of James Edward, and came much closer to success before it, too, failed.