The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Online course will examine Jacobite legacy
New resource to bring fascinating era of Scottish history to life
A new online course looking at the romance and tragedy of the Jacobites hopes to “bring the era to life” once again.
Exile, rebellion and battles will be the focus of the Edinburgh University and National Museums Scotland free online programme.
Participants will study the Jacobite campaigns from the flight to France of James II in 1688 to the defeat of his grandson Bonnie Prince Charlie at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
The three-week course, called Bonnie Prince Charlie And The Jacobites, begins today and will look at objects and paintings associated with kings, queens and politicians during the period.
Experts will examine the cultural legacy of the Jacobite risings, from Sir Walter Scott’s novels in the 19th Century to the popular TV series Outlander.
The new Massive Open-access Online Course (MOOC) has been developed by art historians from the University and senior National Museums Scotland curators.
It has been inspired by the exhibition Bonnie Prince Charlie & the Jacobites, which runs at the National Museum of Scotland until November 12.
Academic lead, professor Viccy Coltman, said: “You don’t need any prior knowledge to sign up.
“The course promises a fascinating mix of academic research and curatorial expertise.
“By teaching the history of the Jacobites through a rich array of objects from the period, we hope to bring this fascinating era to life.”
David Forsyth, curator of the Jacobites exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland said: “One of the key aims of our exhibition is very much to encourage and inspire people to explore further for themselves this fascinating and complex period in Scottish, British and European history.
“We’re delighted to be working with the University of Edinburgh to develop this resource which will both enable that and also let people from all over the world who are unable to see the exhibition in person to view and appreciate some of the wonderful objects and the insights they can reveal.”