Shortlisted for the Military History Matters Book of the Year Award

Few causes have given rise to such dramatic tales of loyalty, passion and betrayal as the Jacobite dream of restoring the Stuarts to the British throne. Although its failure brought savage retribution from the Hannoverians, the Jacobite flame continued to burn decades after Culloden.

This is the first modern history of the entire Jacobite movement in Scotland, England and Ireland, from the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688 that drove James II into exile and the death of his grandson, Cardinal Henry, Duke of York, in 1807. The Battle of Culloden and Bonnie Prince Charlie's flight through the heather are well known, but not the other risings and plots that involved half of Europe and even revolutionary America. The King Over the Water weaves together all the strands of this gripping saga into a vivid, sweeping narrative, full of insight, analysis and anecdote.

About the Author

Desmond Seward was educated at Ampleforth and St Catharine's College, Cambridge. One of the most highly regarded popular historians of his generation, he was the author of numerous books, ranging from studies of medieval kings to biographies of Napoleon and Hitler, to a history of the Jacobite era. His books The Hundred Years' War and The Wars of the Roses are regarded as standard works on their subjects. He died in April 2022.

Reviews

'Highly readable, with brilliantly rendered characters, and thrilling tales of deceit and espionage. Seward writes of the Jacobites from a sympathetic point of view. Yet he does not shy away from the fact that, the Jacobites were never seriously in with a chance of restoring their rule'

-- Calum Henderson * Military History Monthly *

''Those with an interest in such matters will be delighted to read historian Desmond Seward's new book. It sets theStuarts' story in context - chronologically, constitutionally, politically, religiously and regionally'

* Lancashire Post *

'Seward demonstrates that the Jacobites were a multi-faceted and multinational bunch, united by a common vision of an alternative future. Swift and cinematic, with neatly sketched character portraits'

* Financial Times *

'Seward's detailed descriptions of the Princes, Princesses, Kings and Queens create a sense of theatre and allow the reader to fully immerse themselves into the dramatic events of the period ... an engaging and easy read, perfect for emerging history buffs. 4.5/5 stars.'

* Scottish Field *

'An outstanding contribution to our understanding of a complex and extended passage of history. So much about the Jacobites has tended to focus on just one or two brief episodes taken from what was, in reality, a very long-running soap opera

Seward's style is approachable and eminently readable, leading you through the many twists and turns. Deserves to be widely read'

* Undiscovered Scotland *

'Seward offers a fresh look at the struggle to restore the Stuart monarch after the Glorious Revolution in 1688. A bracingly revisionist history'

* Telegraph *

'Seward's clear-sighted examination of the Jacobite movement shows how close it came to succeeding'

-- Allan Massie * Scotsman *

'Seward's best work, persuasive and consistently employing a briskness in pace, a clarity of style and a genius for capturing the character of those long dead, long-forgotten and, perhaps, never remembered ... a rollickingly, splendidly chronological history'

* Herald *

'A hugely detailed and complex history, woven into an engaging and revealing guide to what deserves to be told about the Jacobites'

* Edinburgh University Club of Toronto *

'Desmond Seward is a prolific author of an impressively broad range of popular histories. Since we are not overburdened by popular histories on Jacobitism, this lively book is a welcome addition'

* BBC History Magazine *


Awards
Short-listed for Military History Matters Book of the Year 2020.



Book Information
ISBN 9781780276762
Author Desmond Seward
Format Paperback
Page Count 416
Imprint Birlinn Ltd
Publisher Birlinn General
Weight(grams) 452g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 130mm * 38mm