The term Jacobite is taken from the Latin word Jacobus, meaning James, so Jacobites are the people committed to the return of the Stuarts in the original form of James VII and II. Jacobitism is a term that brings a myriad of images with it. Admiration, glamour and nationalism to name a few, but what was Jacobitism and why did it seem to capture the imagination of so many people? To try and discover this, one must look at the roots and the basis of this movement.
According to Bruce Lenman , "Mary (Queen of Scots) was the ancestress of all the Jacobite Pretenders." This one statement indicates how far back the Stuart line goes. The rule of the Stuarts began with James VI of Scotland, James I of England who was Mary Queen of Scots son. Queen Elizabeth died in 1603, and James took over from her. James made many enemies during his reign, including the infamous Guy Fawkes. James also passed an act of parliament in 1611 to have Latin Bibles translated into English.
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