The Master of Ballantrae · Character
Colonel Burke
An Irish Jacobite adventurer and self-styled Chevalier, whose swaggering memoirs and fierce loyalty to the Master carry the reader through the wilds of exile.
supporting
Also known as Francis Burke, Frank, Francis, the Chevalier de Burke, Chevalier Burke
First appearance: The Master's Wanderings
As a supporting figure in The Master of Ballantrae, Colonel Burke is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Narrator of the chapter; recounts his flight, his pact with the Master, and his reluctant life as a pirate.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Francis Burke is a soldier of fortune who never turned his back on a friend, and his manuscript — vain, gallant, and full of complaint — provides a second window onto the Master's wanderings after Culloden. He meets the…
Continue beside the text
The fuller portrait of Colonel Burke sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Colonel Burke in The Master's WanderingsCharacter Web
17 connectionsA slice of how Colonel Burke sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Friendship
- Rivalry
- Other
Character groups
- Durrisdeer Household & Allies
- Protagonist
+12 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the psychological peak of the narrator's dread and the re…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- The Master
friendship · positive
A fellow Jacobite adventurer and drinking companion who shares the Master's reckless… How this plays out →
- Mr. Henry
rivalry · negative
- The Master
friendship · positive
A fellow Jacobite adventurer and drinking companion who shares the Master's reckless… How this plays out →
- The Master
friendship · positive
A fellow Jacobite adventurer and drinking companion who shares the Master's reckless… How this plays out →
- Mr. Henry
rivalry · negative
- Mr. Henry
rivalry · negative
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Colonel Burke in The Master's WanderingsIn the story
Colonel Burke appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Colonel Burke unlock in the free preview.
See Colonel Burke in The Master's Wanderings