Spanish invasion of Scotland

Battle of Glen Shiel
Part of the Jacobite rising of 1719 War of the Quadruple Alliance
The Battle of Glenshiel 1719 by Peter Tillemans. Spanish troops can be seen in the mid-ground. (1719)
Date 10 June 1719 Location Glen Shiel, west Scotland grid reference NG99441325 Coordinates: 57°9′59″N 5°19′2″W / 57.16639°N 5.31722°W / 57.16639; -5.31722 Result British government victory (House of Hanover)
Belligerents
Kingdom of Great Britain	Jacobites  Spain
Commanders and leaders
Joseph Wightman Colonel Clayton George Munro, 1st of Culcairn (WIA)	Lord George Murray (WIA) William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth (WIA) Donald Cameron of Lochiel Robert Roy MacGregor (WIA) Mackintosh of Borlum
Strength
850 infantry 120 dragoons 4 mortar batteries	1,150 troops
Casualties and losses
21 dead 121 wounded	100 dead, many more wounded, 274 Spanish prisoners
Location within Scotland

The Battle of Glen Shiel (Scottish Gaelic: Blàr Ghleann Seile) was a battle in Glen Shiel, in the West Highlands of Scotland on 10 June 1719, between British Government troops (mostly Scots) and an alliance of Jacobites and Spanish, resulting in a victory for the Government forces. It was part of the Jacobite rising of 1719. It was the last close engagement of British and foreign troops in Great Britain. The Jacobite Scots were aiming to restore the exiled House of Stuart to the throne of the United Kingdom and were supported by Spanish soldiers as Spain was then at war with the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The battlefield has been included in the Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland and is protected by Historic Scotland under the Historic Environment (Amendment) Act 2011.

Philip V, King of Spain and his Italian counsellor, Cardinal Giulio Alberoni, decided to meddle in the succession disputes, supporting the Jacobite claims and its Scottish Highland allies both to de-stabilise the Crown and set up a more pliant king (and Parliament) in its place.

The Jacobite George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal Keith had left the Spanish port of Pasajes (Pasaia in Basque) and occupied the Isle of Lewis, including Stornoway where he set camp. On 13 April 1719, Keith's men disembarked on the Highlands near Lochalsh, although the Highlanders did not join the "Little Rising" in the expected numbers (the Spaniards carried 2000 guns to distribute), mistrusting the enterprise and waiting for news from the south. Keith could not proceed to Inverness and established his headquarters in the castle of Eilean Donan. The Spaniards were accompanied by William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth (Scottish Gaelic: Uilleam Dubh Shìophort), who was chief of the Clan Mackenzie; the Earl Marischal; and the Marquess of Tullibardine; and some Irish officers. They were joined by several hundred Highlanders, including members of the Clan Mackenzie, Clan MacRae, Robert Roy MacGregor, and a party of other MacGregors. Some days later, the main body of the troop went south to stir up the Highlanders, leaving a small garrison (40-50 men) at the castle. The Jacobite forces were to be led by the Earl of Seaforth and also John Cameron of Lochiel, 18th Captain and Chief of Clan Cameron; along with Lord George Murray. Their plan of action was to capture Inverness.