Henry Oxburgh facts for kids
Henry Oxburgh (died 1716) was an Irish soldier. He was a supporter of James Stuart, who wanted to be king. Henry Oxburgh was one of the leaders of a big uprising in England in 1715. This uprising was called the Jacobite Rebellion. After a battle, he was captured by the king's forces. He was later executed for a serious crime against the king.
Early Life and Military Career
Henry Oxburgh came from a Catholic family in Ireland. He joined the Irish Army of King James II. This was during a war in Ireland where King James II fought against William of Orange.
After this war, Henry Oxburgh joined a group known as the "Wild Geese". These were Irish soldiers who went to other countries. They joined armies like the French army to keep fighting for James Stuart to become king.
Later, Henry Oxburgh moved to England. He bought some land there. Even though he seemed to live as a Protestant, he was secretly Catholic. He said this at his trial. During a big European war called the War of the Spanish Succession, he joined the English Army. He fought in Spain. There, he served with some commanders he would later meet again at the Battle of Preston.
The Jacobite Rebellion
In 1714, a new king, George I, came to the throne in Britain. He was from a family called the Hanoverian Dynasty. The next year, supporters of James Stuart started planning an uprising. They wanted James Stuart to be king instead of George I.
This uprising happened in Scotland and northern England. Thomas Forster was put in charge of the English rebels. He was a Protestant, which was important, but he didn't have much military experience. Henry Oxburgh became a Colonel and was one of Forster's main advisors. This was because of his own military background.
The rebels fought a battle at Preston. It was a tough fight, and neither side clearly won. The British Army surrounded the rebels. Henry Oxburgh and another leader, Lord Widdrington, told Forster to surrender. Oxburgh thought he could get good terms for the rebels because he knew the British commanders. He hoped they could leave with their weapons and flags.
However, the British commanders saw them as rebels. They refused to offer any special terms. They demanded that the rebels surrender immediately and trust the king's mercy. Forster had few other choices, so he agreed to surrender. The rebels did not know that the uprising in Scotland had also been stopped. The whole rebellion would be crushed by the next spring.
Execution
On May 14, 1716, Henry Oxburgh was taken to Tyburn, a place where executions happened. He was executed for a very serious crime against the king, called high treason. At the execution site, he spoke to the crowd. He asked them to support the return of "British genius" and the "ancient constitution."
After his execution, he was buried. His head was put on a spike at Temple Bar. This was a common punishment for people seen as traitors. The harsh punishment of Oxburgh and others made many people upset. Because of this, the government later became more forgiving. They passed a law in 1717 that pardoned many former Jacobites.
