The Jacobite Heritage website defines a Jacobite in the following manner:
“Jacobite was the name given to that party which, after the Revolution of 1688, continued to support the Stuart dynasty, as representing the principle of divine right. It was derived from Jacobus, the Latin for James. The origin of the party, however, may be traced to the reign of Charles I, for the Jacobites of 1688 were the direct successors of the Cavaliers of 1642, as the Whigs were of the Puritans.”
According to the World English Dictionary, as posted at dictionary.com, peerage is:
“(esp in the British Isles) a book listing the peers and giving genealogical and other information about them”
Thus, the book The Jacobite Peerage must include the “peerage” information for supporters of the Stuart family. In fact, the full title page reads as follows:
The Jacobite Peerage: Baronetage, Knightage and Grants of Honour Extracted, by Permission, from the Stuart Papers Now in Possession of His Majesty the King at Windsor Castle, and Supplemented by Biographical and Genealogical Notes, by the Marquis of Ruvigny and Raineval Author of ‘The Blood Royal of Britain,’ Etc.
James the VII of Scotland, aka James II of England, was declared to have abdicated his throne. Between his abdication in 1688 and 1784, James II/VII and his successors in exile (Bonnie Prince Charlie, etc.) retained the plenary authority to bestow nobiliary and chilvalric honors. In fact, the Stuarts conferred over two hundred hereditary titles and made hundreds of court appointments during this ninety-six-year period. The names and particulars of those receiving such titles are extraordinarily difficult to locate, since they do not appear in any of the standard books on the Peerage and Baronetage. However, thanks to the The Marquis Melville Henry Massue, these records are made available in The Jacobite Peerage.
The Jacobite Peerage is a reprint of the original 1904 publication. The Genealogical Publishing Company has reissued the Marquis de Ruvigny & Raineval’s book, the only book ever to document these unofficial conferrals. The titles were never claimed nor used, and died with the dynasty by which they were conferred. Yet, the data contained herein was a previously untapped wealth of genealogical and historical material. The bulk of the material was extracted from the unpublished Stuart Papers in the Windsor Castle library, to which Ruvigny was granted access for his research. Thousands of family and personal names appear throughout, making this work an invaluable source of information on Jacobite family lines.
The first part of this book contains an alphabetical list of all titles known to have been bestowed between December 11, 1688 and November 4, 1784, the date of the last title conferred by Charles III. Biographical and genealogical information is provided for each person listed herein. Names of peers and their titles, with date of creation are included, along with their spouses and children; plus, other notes.
The smaller, second section of the book deals with court appointments and chivalric honors. This part contains lists of the knights created by the Stuarts; persons granted nobility; household, diplomatic, and consular appointments; Catholic archbishops, bishops, and vicars-apostolic nominated by James II and VII and by James III and VIII; plus, individuals who received naval and military commissions.
Table of Contents
Preface
- English Titles
- Scottish Titles
- Irish Titles
Part I
Peerage and Baronetage
Part II
Knights
Knights of the Garter
Knights of the Thistle
Declaration of Noblesse, Etc.
Secretaries of State
Household Appointments
Ecclesiastical Nominations
Diplomatic Appointments
Consular Appointments, Etc.
Pardons, Etc.
Military and Naval Commissions
Various Appointments
Alphabetical List of Surnames of Peers and Baronets
Index to Part II
Family Roots Publishing has copies of The Jacobite Peerage available for order; Price: $40.00.