In 1745, Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) led the Jacobite Rising, attempting to restore the Stuart monarchy by invading Britain from Scotland with Highland and French support. The campaign ended in defeat at Culloden in 1746. This last major Jacobite uprising highlighted tensions between Scottish Highland culture, Catholicism, and Hanoverian rule, reshaping British politics and identity.

The Jacobite Rising of 1745 ignited a rich tradition of Scottish ballads and romantic poetry that lamented lost causes and the struggle for identity. Poets like Robert Burns articulated the spirit of rebellion and longing for national identity, embedding these themes into the cultural consciousness of Scotland.