Glencoe: The Story of the Massacre

John Prebble

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'Glencoe: The Story of the Massacre' by author John Prebble delves into the historical event of the Glencoe massacre, shedding light on the battle between Great Britain and the Jacobite followers of Prince Charles, mainly highland clans. The author provides detailed scholarship, offering enough details about the personalities involved to bring the history to life and make it understandable. also explores how the massacre hastened the end of the feudal system practiced by the highland clans, leading to societal modernization.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is descriptive and detailed, effectively conveying historical context but noted by some as rambling and poorly organized.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers around the betrayal and massacre of the MacDonald clan by Lowland Scots, revealing political motivations and the impact on Highland life.

Setting:

The setting is the Scottish Highlands, particularly Glencoe, emphasizing the harsh winter conditions and the cultural landscape of Highland life.

Pacing:

The pacing starts slowly with background information but builds tension leading to the massacre, though it may be uneven for some readers.

Genres:

historical nonfiction

biography

political history

Topics:

scottish history

glencoe massacre

clan rivalries

political motivations

Notes:

The massacre of Glencoe took place in February 1692.

It was not just a clan feud, but a politically motivated act by the government of Lowland Scotland.

King William III ordered the massacre as a reaction to the Jacobite threat.

The troops involved were mostly Lowland Scots, not Englishmen.

The MacDonalds of Glencoe received their killers as guests for two weeks before the massacre.

Only about 40 members of the MacDonald clan were killed, while many escaped, marking the event as poorly executed.

The incident resulted in significant political embarrassment for the British Crown.

John Prebble provides extensive detail on the historical context and key figures involved in the massacre.

The book challenges romanticized views of the Highlands and emphasizes the complexities of Highland life.

The massacre was seen as a means of pacifying the Highlands, but was executed with gross incompetence.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains content warnings related to violence, including descriptions of a massacre and the treachery involved.

From The Publisher:

'You are hereby ordered to fall upon the rebels, the MacDonalds of Glencoe, and to put all to the sword under seventy.' This was the treacherous and cold-blooded order ruthlessly carried out on 13 February 1692, when the Campbells slaughtered their hosts the MacDonalds at the Massacre of Glencoe. It was a bloody incident which had deep repercussions and was the beginning of the destruction of the Highlanders. John Prebble's masterly description of the terrible events at Glencoe was praised as 'Evocative and powerful' in the Sunday Telegraph.

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