A Clash of Crowns

A Clash of Crowns presents a clear-eyed and compelling account of the Jacobite Rebellion, peeling back layers of myth to reveal the political, religious and economic forces that shaped one of Britain’s most turbulent chapters. Far from a tale of national liberation or heroic resistance, this book explores a dynastic conflict rooted in competing claims to legitimacy and power. It examines the wider economic pressures that influenced loyalties, shaped decisions on both sides, and helped drive the course of the conflict. Religious divisions, foreign intrigue, and deep-rooted rivalries all played their part, as did the efforts of European powers eager to exploit instability within the British Isles. Covering Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales, A Clash of Crowns also situates the rebellion within the context of a rising British state with expanding colonial ambitions. Through close analysis of key figures, shifting alliances and military campaigns, it offers a vivid and unsentimental retelling of the uprising—one that exposes the real divisions and consequences of a conflict that shaped the future of Britain and its growing empire.