History Scotland Magazine: Review - The Jacobites and Russia, 1715-1750

The Jacobites and Russia, 1715-1750

Rebecca Wills

Tuckwell Press, East Linton, 2002. ISBN 1862321426. Pb B&W illustrations, 20.

The great Jacobean Diaspora of the eighteenth century and their effects and influence, have not, as Rebecca Wills notes in her introduction, been given nearly as much historical consideration as the events in Britain during the same period. I certainly was only aware of this subject in a peripheral manner and am indebted to the author for introducing me into a fascinating if often confusing subject.

Individual characters, such as Admiral Gordon or General Keith are covered in some detail; both their own considerable achievements for Russia, their personal advancements and their influence within the Imperial court to gain support for the Stewart cause. This could, on occasion, lead to a conflict of interests when those tasked with leading the Tsars forces had to implement a policy which was pro-British in effect (and therefore pro-Hanoverian and anti-Stewart). That many managed this balancing act within the ever-changing power politics of Europe of the time while simultaneously upgrading and refining Russian military prowess to new levels is a fascinating tale in its own right.

Individual achievements are only one aspect of this work, however. Wills draws us into the fluid and competing world of the Great Powers of the period. British ministers such as Walpole, desperately worried about Jacobite intrigues against the house of Hanover, constantly changed alliances to ensure British security. When France and Spain seemed to be too friendly overtures were made to Russia; when Russia was belligerent overtures were made to Prussia or France. The Jacobite exiles exerted their influences to try and push events towards a favourable conclusion for King James, while the Great Powers utilised the potential Jacobite threat to Britain as a lever for concessions. The constant intriguing and conspiring, the horse-trading, threatening and bribery which powered these attempts to make and break alliances is, sadly, all to reminiscent of the power-jockeying alliances which would ultimately lead European powers to the Great War centuries later. Indeed, it is hard not to see a similar pattern of power-politicking going on even today in the environs of the United Nations, proof, if any were needed, that history is indeed pertinent to the world of today.

This is an enormous subject to tackle and one which would benefit from a companion work on a broader European scale. The constant shifting of national interests and alliances and the employment of Jacobite intriguing as a potential diplomatic weapon (both by the Jacobites themselves and the Great Powers) is utterly fascinating, although often a little confusing. This confusion has more to do with the labyrinthine nature of these conspiracies and alliances and is not a reflection of the writing style of Wills, who has achieved a remarkable feat in negotiating such a maze for the reader. This is an excellent addition to any readers shelf and expands on a fascinating period of Scottish, British and European history.

Joe Gordon, Edinburgh