Hello and welcome to the History Extra Podcast from BBC History Magazine, Britain's

bestselling history magazine.

I'm Millie Corzon.

Three hundred years ago today, Charles Edward Stewart or Bonnie Prince Charlie as he's

better known, was born.

To mark the anniversary, in the January issue of BBC History Magazine, a historian and

author Jacqueline Riding weighed up two contrasting characterisations of the Jacqueline leader,

one as a courageous freedom fighter, the other as a haughty coward.

Here in conversation with our production editor Spencer Misen, Jacqueline explores the

characters' remarkable life and legacy.

Jacqueline, the headline of your feature in our January issue is Bonnie Prince Charlie, Scottish

superhero or Italian coward.

That hints at the ferocious battle that's been fought over the Prince's reputation

over the past 250 years or so.

To his support, he's seen as this valiant charismatic figure.

While to his detractor, he's seen as a haughty, self-absorbed, fancissist who's

reckless bid for the throne inflicted unnecessary pain and suffering.

I just wonder if you could present the case for both the prosecution and the defence and

tell us which side of the debate you come down on.

Well, I think the first thing we need to be clear about from the onset is that Charles

was, in fact, neither was nor is a Scottish superhero nor indeed an Italian coward.

So I think those two caricatures, which is what they are, can be dismissed immediately.

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