Today, 10 December, sees the anniversary of the death (in 1747) of Duncan Forbes, Lord Culloden (1685-1747).

Studying law at Leiden University, he became an advocate and sheriff of Midlothian in 1709. He was elected MP for Inverness in 1722 and was appointed Lord Advocate in 1725.

In 1737 he was raised to the position of Lord President where he was active in the enforcement of revenue laws, and took a prominent part in opposing punishment of Edinburgh for the Porteous Riots.

Like many Scots Forbes supported the Hanoverian cause and used his influence to dissuade a number of clans from joining the Jacobites. However he later tried his best to mitigate the terrible reprisals following the Battle of Culloden.