The Murray family played an important role in all the Jacobite rebellions. During 1715 the Duke of Atholl remained loyal to the Hanoverian government but three of his sons were Jacobites. A look at the earlier years of the Murrays sheds light on the family dynamics and helps explain how and why they committed to the Jacobite cause. Set against the backdrop of social unrest and anxiety over against English influence in Scotland, their choices had a significant impact on the history of the family and on the country.