This article contains references/discussions to miscarriage and sexual assault
The Starz historical drama series Outlander has a large cast of characters that includes a number of real-world figures that the fictitious ones interact with. Created by Ronald D. Moore and based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon, Outlander, follows Claire Fraser (Caitríona Balfe), a WWII nurse who is transported back in time to 1743 England. There, Claire meets the ancestors of her contemporaries and becomes embroiled in historical events from the time period. Balfe and the show have received multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for their work. It’s a sprawling series that uses the historical setting as a backdrop to the romance between Claire and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan).
Over the course of six seasons of Outlander, Claire and Jamie travel across the globe with real-life history as the basis of many of the seasons’ plots. The Jacobite Rebellion, the Age of Piracy, the Regulator Movement, and the lead-up to the American Revolutionary War are depicted throughout the series. Consequently, Claire meets many real-life historical figures throughout her journey and her knowledge of the past events creates dramatic tension as she sometimes tries to explain the future to the figures working towards it. The characterizations of these historical figures are usually true to life, but there are details in the writing that add depth to the cast.
1 Jamie Fraser Is Based On A Survivor Of The Battle Of Culloden (Seasons 1-6)
Jamie is an original creation for Outlander, but his character comes from a real story. Some Outlander viewers may have missed Jamie Fraser was inspired by a story of a Jacobite soldier who survived the Battle of Culloden. After the catastrophic fight, a group of soldiers slipped away from the British and took refuge in a farmhouse. The survivors were discovered and summarily shot, save for one man named “Fraser”. The series never reveals if these are the same men, but it would make sense that one of the few named soldiers of the Jacobite Rebellion would have a story to tell, and Gabaldon’s ission of inspiration all but confirms it.
2 Le Comte St. Germain Was A Mysterious Alchemist (Season 2)
One of the villains Claire encounters on her trip to is Comte St. Germain (Stanley Weber), a French nobleman who has some mysterious and dangerous interests. Both the character and the real-life figure are equally unknowable, but Outlander’s version deserved harsher consequences for how awfully he treated Claire and Jamie. The real-life Comte St. Germain is as mysterious as Outlander’s version and, according to Britannica, the details of his life before being arrested as a Jacobite spy in 1748 are a mystery. His wandering travels saw the Comte dabble in alchemy, and he was a close confidant of Louis XV.
3 Bonnie Prince Charlie Was The Leader Of The Jacobite Rebellion (Seasons 2-3, 6)
In Outlander season 2, the Jacobite Rebellion comes to the fore of the show, and Bonnie Prince Charlie (Andrew Gower), or Prince Charles Stuart, becomes a significant character as the reason for the rebellion. Prince Charles in the show matches his real-life counterpart for the most part. He’s not a great tactician or thinker, but he’s charming and inspires the Scottish Highlanders to his cause. According to moment of Bonnie Prince Charles’ escape to the Isle of Skye.
4 Louise De La Tour d'Auvergne Really Did Have An Affair With Charles Stuart (Season 2)
Louise de La Tour (Claire Sermonne) and her husband, Jules de Rohan (Howard Corett), become friends with Jamie and Claire upon their arrival in . Louise is having an affair with Bonnie Prince Charles, which is an open secret in court. Although she can be superficial towards others, there have been occasions where viewers have seen a more comionate side to her personality, particularly when she helped look after Claire after her miscarriage. Louise and her husband are real figures from history and the affair between Louise and Prince Charles is well-documented. What is left out of Outlander, however, is that Louise and Charles were actually cousins (via to History of Royal Woman).
5 Louis XV Of Was A Terrible King (Season 2)
In Outlander, Louis XV is a low key villain as he is seen to abuse his power. Based on the real life King (whose poor political decision later had repercussions for overall - via BBC), Outlander's Louis XV shows his villainous ways when he demands Claire sleeps with him if she wants Jamie to be released from the Bastille. It's quite a horrific and uncomfortable moment as it emphasizes that he doesn't care about anyone but himself. He also continues to abuse his power by then making Claire decide whether Comte St Germain or Master Raymond should live. He was a dreadful person who deserved worse consequences.
6 Joseph Paris Duverney Was A French Banker (Season 2)
Jamie plays chess with Joseph Duverney (Marc Duret) occasionally and the character has not much more to do than that. According to Outlander to not have every real-life figure be an important character. What makes the show fun is that real people often don’t have an impact on every event. The series feels all the more lived in when historical figures are barely commented on.
7 Mother Hildegarde Is Based On A Historical Nun And Saint (Season 2)
When Claire and Jamie go to , their immediately wrapped up in the nefarious and dangerous affairs of the court. Mother Hildegarde shows that not all of the strangers they meet are villains. Mother Hildegarde is a nun who runs a charity hospital and whose stern and formidable demeanor belies a caring and just humanitarian side. She’s one of the low-key heroes of Outlander and is based on a real saint from history. According to Britannica, St. Hildegard, also called Hildegard of Bingen, was a 12th-century nun who was known to have mystical visions. She was also a talented poet and composer, reflected by Mother Hildegarde’s love of music.
8 Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat Really Double Dealt Against The Crown (Season 2)
Simon Fraser or “The Old Fox” (Clive Russell) is one of the Clan leaders Claire and Jamie approach to try and bring to Prince Charles’ side. Simon, true to his name, is a wily leader who only ever does what is best for him. During the rebellion, he feigns illness to avoid traveling with the rebels and sends fewer soldiers than he promises. His deceptions eventually catch up to him, and Simon is beheaded as a traitor. Outlander exposes Fraser as a questionable parent among other things but, according to Britannica, that’s still too easy on him. Fraser switched sides more than even depicted, working both ends of the conflict.
9 Simon Fraser, Master Of Lovat Had A Long Military Career (Season 2)
Another member of Clan Fraser, Simon Fraser (James Parris) is much less brave than his nephew Jamie, and less cunning than his father the Old Fox. Compared to the book’s version, Simon in Outlander is more timid and less willing to go to war than anyone of the other highlanders. This is a break from the real historical figure that the novel series hews closer to. According to the Clan Fraser website, Simon ended up being a formidable soldier who was pardoned for the rebellion and participated in the Seven Year’s War. He was even promoted to Brigadier General, a far cry from the indecisive young man of the series.
10 Lord General George Murray Was One Of The Commanders During The Battle Of Culloden (Season 2)
The Battle of Culloden is one of the best fights on Outlander and a disaster for Prince Charles, highlanders, and the Jacobite Rebellion. Although he is only briefly mentioned in Outlander, General George Murray (Julian Wadham) was one of the senior commanders of the rebel army. According to the University of Nottingham, Murray warned Charles about Culloden before the battle but ed nonetheless. After the defeat, Murray resigned from his position in a strongly worded letter writing that Charles was not fit to give military orders. The series agreed with Murray, often depicting Charles as an ineffective tactician.