Background
John Graham, the laird of Claverhouse and 1st Viscount of Dundee was called "Bluidy Clavers" (Bloody Claverhouse) by his opponents, but Bonnie Dundee by his followers among the Jacobites. His nickname, "Bonnie", arose either from his exploits as a leader or that he was considered handsome. When William of Orange landed, beginning what is now known as the Glorious Revolution, Claverhouse was one of the few Scottish nobles who remained loyal to James VII of Scotland (James II of England). After trying to influence the Convention of Estates of Scotland on James's behalf, at some danger to himself, he led his cavalry out of Edinburgh to carry on the struggle in the field, and was killed at the moment of victory in the battle of Killiecrankie (1689). Over a century later he was immortalised in a poem by Walter Scott which was later adapted into a song.
Read more about this topic: Bonnie Dundee
Famous quotes containing the word background:
“Pilate with his question “What is truth?” is gladly trotted out these days as an advocate of Christ, so as to arouse the suspicion that everything known and knowable is an illusion and to erect the cross upon that gruesome background of the impossibility of knowledge.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“... every experience in life enriches one’s background and should teach valuable lessons.”
—Mary Barnett Gilson (1877–?)
“They were more than hostile. In the first place, I was a south Georgian and I was looked upon as a fiscal conservative, and the Atlanta newspapers quite erroneously, because they didn’t know anything about me or my background here in Plains, decided that I was also a racial conservative.”
—Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.)