Philippa Gregory's Blog: Philippa Gregory's News - Posts Tagged "charles-i"
Charles I Removed From Holdenby House
On this day in 1647, Charles I was removed from Holdenby House by George Joyce and 500 men from the New Model Army. He had been under house arrest for several months, and his capture had seen the end of the first English Civil War, although it was to be a short-lived peace.Charles was the son of James I and the grandson of Mary, Queen of Scots. Like his father, Charles was a firm believer in the divine right of kings, and felt he should govern his realm as he alone saw fit. This lead to clashes with Parliament from the very start of his rule. At one point, Charles dissolved parliament and ruled alone for eleven years. The public disliked his marriage to the Catholic Henrietta Maria of France – and his schemes and policies to raise funds meant Charles became more and more unpopular. When he attempted to introduce policies in the Scottish Church to bring it more in line with the Church of England, the Scots refused and retaliated by invading England. This forced Charles to call a Parliament in 1640 – as only Parliament could legally collect taxes and Charles needed funds for the war.
Parliament refused to do anything unless the king addressed their grievances. But later that same year Charles needed Parliament again, and this time they demanded concessions from him on government policy, and began dismantling his Personal Rule.
Tensions remained high, coming to a head when Charles entered the House of Commons with an armed guard to arrest five members for treason. He believed they had encouraged the Scots to invade England. But they had been warned and had fled, and those still in the House refused to reveal their location.
This failure was a catalyst for the start of the Civil War. By entering the House of Commons, Charles had breached parliamentary privilege. For many, it confirmed fears of a Catholic plot against Parliament, and Henrietta Maria took much of the blame for the arrest attempts. Parliament took control of London, and Charles quickly left. Both sides began to arm themselves, and and in August 1642, Charles raised his standard at Nottingham – marking the beginning of the Civil War.
The war lasted several years, and in 1645 Charles and his royalist supporters were soundly defeated by Parliament’s army. Charles had retreated to Oxford, but knew both his options and resources were limited. He decided to escape while Oxford was under siege. Using a large part of his own army as a diversion and dressing himself as a groom, Charles left Oxford and made his way to a Scottish Presbyterian garrison – feeling they were offering him the best terms. The Scots took Charles north to Newcastle upon Tyne while they negotiated with the English Parliament. He was returned in exchange for £100,000, and brought to Holdenby House in Northamptonshire.
In the months Charles was held there under house arrest, relations broke down between the two major factions of Parliament: the Presbyterians and the Independents – who controlled the New Model Army. The Presbyterians intended to break up the New Model Army and remove leading Independents such as Oliver Cromwell.
The New Model Army, knowing that whoever controlled the captive king held the upper hand, made their move. When cornet George Joyce arrived at Holdenby, he demanded Charles leave with him. His orders seem to have been just to secure and take control of the house, but Joyce believed the garrison commander – who supported the Presbyterian leader – had gone for support, and acted decisively in response.
Charles agreed to leave with Joyce, although upon seeing Joyce’s men, Charles pressed the cornet to show him the commission which gave him his orders.
Joyce is said to have gestured to his 500 horsemen and told Charles, “This is my commission! It is behind me.”
Charles could hardly argue with that, and apparently responded by saying, “It is as fair a commission, and as well written a commission as I have seen in my life.” He left with no further trouble, perhaps seeing this as an opportunity to exploit the widening divisions between the two factions of Parliament.
Images: Charles I (1600-1649), by Sir Anthony Van Dyck, 1636, RCIN 404398 Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018. Portrait of a gentleman said to be Cornet George Joyce, by Jacob Huysmans, c.1630–1696, via Wikimedia Commons
Charles I Marries Henrietta Maria
Today in 1625, Charles I married the French princess Henrietta Maria. She was the youngest daughter of Henry IV of France and Marie de' Medici, and was just 15 when she married the 24 year old Charles. They had been married by proxy on 1 May, after which Henrietta made the journey from Paris to England. She was accompanied by a large entourage and brought with her many of her expensive possessions, including diamonds, dresses and furniture.
Henrietta was not Charles’ first choice of wife. He had originally intended to marry the Infanta Maria Anna of Spain. But negotiations for this marriage dragged on, until Charles made a personal visit to Spain in an attempt to secure the Infanta, travelling incognito with George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. They failed to bring the Infanta back to England – much to the delight of many, as anti-Spanish and anti-Catholic sentiment ran high.
With the Spanish match unsuccessful, Charles looked to France for a bride and began the negotiations to marry Henrietta. During this time his father, James I, died and Charles ascended to the throne.
Henrietta was a staunch Catholic, who openly practised her faith. In England, the fear and distrust of Catholics had not lessened, and there were fears she would convert Charles. The marriage itself had been allowed only with a special dispensation from the Pope, and Henrietta’s religion caused friction from the start – she would not have a coronation as her Catholicism barred her from taking part in the Anglican service.
The marriage between Charles and Henrietta did not start well, with Henrietta resentful of her husband’s close relationship with Villiers. It was only after the Duke was assassinated in 1628 that Charles turned to his wife and the two became closer. They would have a total of nine children together, including future English kings Charles II and James II.
Henrietta was also a great patron of the arts, with a keen eye for art collecting, and she and Charles amassed a great collection. She also enjoyed masques, taking part in many herself, as well as music and garden design. The John Tradescants, both elder and younger, would be among those employed by her.
In the years leading up to the English Civil War, dislike of Henrietta only increased until she fled to Europe in for safety in 1644. She continued to actively support her husband’s cause from abroad until he was executed in 1649.
Images: Charles I and Henrietta Maria with their two eldest children, Prince Charles and Princess Mary, by Sir Anthony Van Dyck, 1631-32, RCIN 405353, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018. Charles I, Henrietta Maria and Charles, Prince of Wales (later Charles II), by Hendrik Gerritsz Pot, c.1632, RCIN 405541, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018. Portrait of Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria, by Anthony van Dyck, 1632, Kroměříž Castle, via Wikimedia Commons. Princess Henrietta Maria of France, Queen consort of England, by Anthony van Dyck, c.1636-1638, San Diego Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons.
Henrietta was not Charles’ first choice of wife. He had originally intended to marry the Infanta Maria Anna of Spain. But negotiations for this marriage dragged on, until Charles made a personal visit to Spain in an attempt to secure the Infanta, travelling incognito with George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. They failed to bring the Infanta back to England – much to the delight of many, as anti-Spanish and anti-Catholic sentiment ran high.
With the Spanish match unsuccessful, Charles looked to France for a bride and began the negotiations to marry Henrietta. During this time his father, James I, died and Charles ascended to the throne.
Henrietta was a staunch Catholic, who openly practised her faith. In England, the fear and distrust of Catholics had not lessened, and there were fears she would convert Charles. The marriage itself had been allowed only with a special dispensation from the Pope, and Henrietta’s religion caused friction from the start – she would not have a coronation as her Catholicism barred her from taking part in the Anglican service.
The marriage between Charles and Henrietta did not start well, with Henrietta resentful of her husband’s close relationship with Villiers. It was only after the Duke was assassinated in 1628 that Charles turned to his wife and the two became closer. They would have a total of nine children together, including future English kings Charles II and James II.
Henrietta was also a great patron of the arts, with a keen eye for art collecting, and she and Charles amassed a great collection. She also enjoyed masques, taking part in many herself, as well as music and garden design. The John Tradescants, both elder and younger, would be among those employed by her.
In the years leading up to the English Civil War, dislike of Henrietta only increased until she fled to Europe in for safety in 1644. She continued to actively support her husband’s cause from abroad until he was executed in 1649.
Images: Charles I and Henrietta Maria with their two eldest children, Prince Charles and Princess Mary, by Sir Anthony Van Dyck, 1631-32, RCIN 405353, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018. Charles I, Henrietta Maria and Charles, Prince of Wales (later Charles II), by Hendrik Gerritsz Pot, c.1632, RCIN 405541, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018. Portrait of Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria, by Anthony van Dyck, 1632, Kroměříž Castle, via Wikimedia Commons. Princess Henrietta Maria of France, Queen consort of England, by Anthony van Dyck, c.1636-1638, San Diego Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons.
Charles I Inscription Discovered
A poignant message from Charles I has been discovered in a book he read while he was a prisoner – “Dum spiro Spero” (while I breathe, I hope). It is signed with the initials CR.
The book is a copy of The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser. It belonged to Thomas Herbert, who was an attendant to Charles during his years of captivity. Herbert remained with Charles until his execution and would later write a memoir about his time with the king. In it, he noted this:
‘In many of his books, he delighted himself with the motto Dum spiro Spero; which he wrote frequently as the emblem of his hopes as well as endeavours for a happy agreement with his parliament.’
The English Civil War had begun in 1642, after years of mounting tension between Charles and Parliament. Charles had been held by the Parliamentarians since 1647, though he briefly escaped only to be recaptured. He was executed in 1649, and is the only English monarch to have been tried for treason. He is also the last English monarch to have been executed.
The book with his message was discovered at West Horsley Place, and will be auctioned off to raise funds to restore the historic house.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jul/05/charles-i-message-poetry-book-university-challenge
The book is a copy of The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser. It belonged to Thomas Herbert, who was an attendant to Charles during his years of captivity. Herbert remained with Charles until his execution and would later write a memoir about his time with the king. In it, he noted this:
‘In many of his books, he delighted himself with the motto Dum spiro Spero; which he wrote frequently as the emblem of his hopes as well as endeavours for a happy agreement with his parliament.’
The English Civil War had begun in 1642, after years of mounting tension between Charles and Parliament. Charles had been held by the Parliamentarians since 1647, though he briefly escaped only to be recaptured. He was executed in 1649, and is the only English monarch to have been tried for treason. He is also the last English monarch to have been executed.
The book with his message was discovered at West Horsley Place, and will be auctioned off to raise funds to restore the historic house.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jul/05/charles-i-message-poetry-book-university-challenge
Battle of Newbury
Just over a year into the first English Civil War, the First Battle of Newbury was fought today in 1643. This was a pivotal battle between the Royalist army led by Charles I, and the Parliamentarians, led by Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex.
The Devereaux family had always had a complex relationship with the royals. They were descendants of Mary Boleyn, and Robert’s father, the 2nd Earl, led an unsuccessful rebellion against Elizabeth I in 1601 which ended in his execution and the loss of their title. But they were reinstated by King James I, and Robert became best friends with James’ oldest son Henry, who would have become king had he not died of fever aged 18. Instead, the crown passed to his younger brother Charles and the relationship between crown and parliament quickly broke down.
Charles believed in his divine right to rule, and that he was answerable to nobody but god. But this was an attitude no longer acceptable to many of his people. They believed their representatives in Parliament should have a voice in how the country was run, and that the king’s power should be checked. The rift between king and Parliament grew deeper until both began rallying their armies, forcing the country to pick a side, knowing that war was inevitable.
For the first months of the war, Charles and his Royalist forces had mostly been successful, defeating the Parliamentarians and gaining control of a number of cities. Charles had taken Bristol, had strong support in south Wales and he wanted to capture Gloucester which would allow the Welsh to reinforce his army. But Gloucester refused to surrender, and the Royalists laid siege to the city. They were forced to withdraw when the Earl of Essex arrived from London with a formidable Parliamentarian army.
Charles hoped that by defeating Essex he would win the war. This Parliamentarian force was the last significant one in south England – the war had depleted forces on both sides. He planned to ambush Essex as they made their way back to London – but Essex had guessed Charles’ tactics and took his army on a different route.
Realising his mistake, Charles managed to cut Essex’s army off at Newbury and a battle ensued. The fighting lasted all day, and despite the advantages that the Royalists had, they were by now low on ammunition and Charles was forced to pull back. Essex made a triumphant return to London and Charles had lost his best opportunity to end the war on his own terms.
Images: Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, by Unknown artist, c.1620, NPG L115, Private collection; on loan to the National Portrait Gallery, London. King Charles I, after Sir Anthony van Dyck, based on a work of 1635-1636, NPG 843, © National Portrait Gallery, London.
The Devereaux family had always had a complex relationship with the royals. They were descendants of Mary Boleyn, and Robert’s father, the 2nd Earl, led an unsuccessful rebellion against Elizabeth I in 1601 which ended in his execution and the loss of their title. But they were reinstated by King James I, and Robert became best friends with James’ oldest son Henry, who would have become king had he not died of fever aged 18. Instead, the crown passed to his younger brother Charles and the relationship between crown and parliament quickly broke down.
Charles believed in his divine right to rule, and that he was answerable to nobody but god. But this was an attitude no longer acceptable to many of his people. They believed their representatives in Parliament should have a voice in how the country was run, and that the king’s power should be checked. The rift between king and Parliament grew deeper until both began rallying their armies, forcing the country to pick a side, knowing that war was inevitable.
For the first months of the war, Charles and his Royalist forces had mostly been successful, defeating the Parliamentarians and gaining control of a number of cities. Charles had taken Bristol, had strong support in south Wales and he wanted to capture Gloucester which would allow the Welsh to reinforce his army. But Gloucester refused to surrender, and the Royalists laid siege to the city. They were forced to withdraw when the Earl of Essex arrived from London with a formidable Parliamentarian army.
Charles hoped that by defeating Essex he would win the war. This Parliamentarian force was the last significant one in south England – the war had depleted forces on both sides. He planned to ambush Essex as they made their way back to London – but Essex had guessed Charles’ tactics and took his army on a different route.
Realising his mistake, Charles managed to cut Essex’s army off at Newbury and a battle ensued. The fighting lasted all day, and despite the advantages that the Royalists had, they were by now low on ammunition and Charles was forced to pull back. Essex made a triumphant return to London and Charles had lost his best opportunity to end the war on his own terms.
Images: Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, by Unknown artist, c.1620, NPG L115, Private collection; on loan to the National Portrait Gallery, London. King Charles I, after Sir Anthony van Dyck, based on a work of 1635-1636, NPG 843, © National Portrait Gallery, London.
Regicides of Charles I
In October 1660 the executions of those involved in the regicide of Charles I began, eleven years after his death. Charles had been brought to trial and executed after seven years of Civil War. On the same day as his death, England was declared a Commonwealth, and the monarchy was then officially abolished.
Many of Charles’ family had fled to Europe, both for their own safety and to help the royalist cause back in England. This included his heir, the future Charles II, who was in the Netherlands when he learned of his father’s death and became a king in exile. His attempts to take back his throne were defeated, and his cause looked set to remain unsuccessful. It was only after the death of Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, and the ineffective leadership of his son, that Parliament invited Charles II to return and restore the monarchy.
In May 1660, he entered London in triumph. While a general pardon was issued to those who fought against his father in the Civil War, Charles did not extend this to regicides. He intended to punish those ‘bloody traitors’ who had thought to kill a king. This included the fifty-nine men – which included Cromwell – who had signed Charles I’s death warrant, along with many of the commissioners or officials who hadn’t signed but were involved in the trial or execution.
The trials began. Ten men were executed by being hanged, drawn and quartered – a typical death for those convicted of high treason. The first to die was Thomas Harrison on 13 October. Nineteen more were sentenced to life in prison, while others fled the country. Some were later extradited back to England to face punishment, although not all were captured and spent their lives in exile. One man who managed to escape – John Lisle – fled to Switzerland, only to be later assassinated by a royal agent.
There were two men intimately involved in the execution that could not be identified and punished: the headsman who wielded the axe that beheaded Charles and his assistant who held up the king’s head after the act. They were masked during the execution, making sure their identities were concealed. Despite rumours, and an alleged confession by the Common Hangman of London that was circulated after his death, the identity of the executioner is still unknown.
Not even those who had died before the Restoration escaped Charles II’s punishment. Some, including Oliver Cromwell himself, were exhumed from their graves in 1661 and given a posthumous execution by being hanged and beheaded. Cromwell’s skull was placed on a spike at Westminster, a warning and a reminder to what happened to regicides.
Images: Death warrant of King Charles I of England, 1648/9, via Wikimedia Commons. Charles II of England in Coronation robes, by John Michael Wright c.1661-1662, RCIN 404951, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018, via Wikimedia Commons
Many of Charles’ family had fled to Europe, both for their own safety and to help the royalist cause back in England. This included his heir, the future Charles II, who was in the Netherlands when he learned of his father’s death and became a king in exile. His attempts to take back his throne were defeated, and his cause looked set to remain unsuccessful. It was only after the death of Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, and the ineffective leadership of his son, that Parliament invited Charles II to return and restore the monarchy.
In May 1660, he entered London in triumph. While a general pardon was issued to those who fought against his father in the Civil War, Charles did not extend this to regicides. He intended to punish those ‘bloody traitors’ who had thought to kill a king. This included the fifty-nine men – which included Cromwell – who had signed Charles I’s death warrant, along with many of the commissioners or officials who hadn’t signed but were involved in the trial or execution.
The trials began. Ten men were executed by being hanged, drawn and quartered – a typical death for those convicted of high treason. The first to die was Thomas Harrison on 13 October. Nineteen more were sentenced to life in prison, while others fled the country. Some were later extradited back to England to face punishment, although not all were captured and spent their lives in exile. One man who managed to escape – John Lisle – fled to Switzerland, only to be later assassinated by a royal agent.
There were two men intimately involved in the execution that could not be identified and punished: the headsman who wielded the axe that beheaded Charles and his assistant who held up the king’s head after the act. They were masked during the execution, making sure their identities were concealed. Despite rumours, and an alleged confession by the Common Hangman of London that was circulated after his death, the identity of the executioner is still unknown.
Not even those who had died before the Restoration escaped Charles II’s punishment. Some, including Oliver Cromwell himself, were exhumed from their graves in 1661 and given a posthumous execution by being hanged and beheaded. Cromwell’s skull was placed on a spike at Westminster, a warning and a reminder to what happened to regicides.
Images: Death warrant of King Charles I of England, 1648/9, via Wikimedia Commons. Charles II of England in Coronation robes, by John Michael Wright c.1661-1662, RCIN 404951, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018, via Wikimedia Commons
Trial of Charles I
Today in 1649, Charles I was brought to trial at Westminster, accused of being ‘a tyrant, traitor, murderer, and a public and implacable enemy to the Commonwealth of England’. The situation was unprecedented – this was the first time a sitting king had been brought to trial in England, and it would end in Charles’s death and the abolition of the monarchy.
Charles’s relationship with his Parliament had been poor since the beginning of his reign in 1625. There were ongoing tensions over many issues – particularly money – and despite Parliament’s insistence that it had an essential role, Charles was a firm believer that by the Royal Prerogative he could govern alone as he saw fit.
This fight for power eventually lead to the first English Civil War in 1642, with Parliamentarians set against Royalists. After a series of defeats for the Royalists, it ended in 1646 and Charles was held under house arrest by Parliament. But while in captivity, he plotted with the Scots, who planned an invasion on his behalf to restore him to the throne. A second Civil War broke out in 1648, in which the Royalists were once again defeated. Now Charles was to be held personally responsible for inviting the Scots to invade, and causing the deaths of thousands of people. He was to be tried for treason against England.
Charles believed wholeheartedly in the divine right of kings – that the king was responsible to God alone and that no mortal man could judge him – and did not recognise the authority of the court. When John Cooke, the chief prosecutor, began speaking to ask that the charge against Charles be read, the king repeatedly tapped Cooke on the shoulder with his cane, demanding that he ‘hold’. Cooke continued to speak, until Charles hit him hard enough that the silver tip of the cane broke off and fell to the floor. King Charles, who had been waited on hand and foot since birth, looked for someone else to pick it up but no one did. Eventually he reached for it himself, putting it in his pocket.
Throughout the trial Charles refused to enter a plea as he believed that would be to acknowledge the legitimacy of the process. It frustrated the court, and Parliament decided there was no other course they could take but execution. Charles was again brought before them on 27 January. He was refused his title, and referred to only as ‘Charles Stuart’ when he was told that he had been found guilty of the charges against him, and would be put to death.
Charles I was beheaded on 30 January 1649, and England was declared a Commonwealth. This lasted until 1660 and the restoration of the monarchy when Charles’s son, Charles II, was welcomed back from exile to take his throne.
Image: Charles I at his trial, by Edward Bower, c.1650, via Wikimedia Commons.
Charles’s relationship with his Parliament had been poor since the beginning of his reign in 1625. There were ongoing tensions over many issues – particularly money – and despite Parliament’s insistence that it had an essential role, Charles was a firm believer that by the Royal Prerogative he could govern alone as he saw fit.
This fight for power eventually lead to the first English Civil War in 1642, with Parliamentarians set against Royalists. After a series of defeats for the Royalists, it ended in 1646 and Charles was held under house arrest by Parliament. But while in captivity, he plotted with the Scots, who planned an invasion on his behalf to restore him to the throne. A second Civil War broke out in 1648, in which the Royalists were once again defeated. Now Charles was to be held personally responsible for inviting the Scots to invade, and causing the deaths of thousands of people. He was to be tried for treason against England.
Charles believed wholeheartedly in the divine right of kings – that the king was responsible to God alone and that no mortal man could judge him – and did not recognise the authority of the court. When John Cooke, the chief prosecutor, began speaking to ask that the charge against Charles be read, the king repeatedly tapped Cooke on the shoulder with his cane, demanding that he ‘hold’. Cooke continued to speak, until Charles hit him hard enough that the silver tip of the cane broke off and fell to the floor. King Charles, who had been waited on hand and foot since birth, looked for someone else to pick it up but no one did. Eventually he reached for it himself, putting it in his pocket.
Throughout the trial Charles refused to enter a plea as he believed that would be to acknowledge the legitimacy of the process. It frustrated the court, and Parliament decided there was no other course they could take but execution. Charles was again brought before them on 27 January. He was refused his title, and referred to only as ‘Charles Stuart’ when he was told that he had been found guilty of the charges against him, and would be put to death.
Charles I was beheaded on 30 January 1649, and England was declared a Commonwealth. This lasted until 1660 and the restoration of the monarchy when Charles’s son, Charles II, was welcomed back from exile to take his throne.
Image: Charles I at his trial, by Edward Bower, c.1650, via Wikimedia Commons.
Coronation of Charles I
Charles I was crowned today in 1626. The second son of James I and Anne of Denmark, Charles never expected to become king – that was the destiny of his adored older brother Henry Frederick. However, Henry’s unexpected death from typhoid in 1612 at only eighteen years old was a tragedy not only for his family, but for the whole kingdom, and the eleven year old Charles became heir apparent.
Charles’s father James I died in March 1625, and Charles succeeded to the throne. He married the French princess Henrietta Maria later that year, and expected that they would have a joint coronation. But it was not to be. As a Roman Catholic, Henrietta Maria refused to be crowned by a Protestant bishop and so she could only watch the coronation of her husband from an upstairs window. Henrietta Maria would never be crowned, and she became increasingly unpopular over the course of her husband’s reign.
Charles was the last English monarch to be crowned using the eleventh century Crown Jewels of Edward the Confessor. They were destroyed in the aftermath of the second English Civil War and Charles’s execution in 1649, when the new English Commonwealth dismantled the institution of the monarchy. When his son reclaimed his throne as Charles II in 1660, his coronation was carried out with all newly made Crown Jewels.
Image: Charles I and Henrietta Maria with their two eldest children, Prince Charles and Princess Mary, by Anthony Van Dyck, 1632. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019
Charles’s father James I died in March 1625, and Charles succeeded to the throne. He married the French princess Henrietta Maria later that year, and expected that they would have a joint coronation. But it was not to be. As a Roman Catholic, Henrietta Maria refused to be crowned by a Protestant bishop and so she could only watch the coronation of her husband from an upstairs window. Henrietta Maria would never be crowned, and she became increasingly unpopular over the course of her husband’s reign.
Charles was the last English monarch to be crowned using the eleventh century Crown Jewels of Edward the Confessor. They were destroyed in the aftermath of the second English Civil War and Charles’s execution in 1649, when the new English Commonwealth dismantled the institution of the monarchy. When his son reclaimed his throne as Charles II in 1660, his coronation was carried out with all newly made Crown Jewels.
Image: Charles I and Henrietta Maria with their two eldest children, Prince Charles and Princess Mary, by Anthony Van Dyck, 1632. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019
The Spanish Match
Today in 1623, two men set out from England, crossing the channel to France on a great adventure. They called themselves Thomas and John Smith, claimed to be brothers, and concealed their faces behind wigs and false beards.
But their final destination was not to be France but the court of Philip IV in Spain, for these two men were Prince Charles – the future Charles I, son of James I – and George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. They were on a secret mission to secure a marriage between Charles and the Catholic Spanish Infanta, Maria Anna.
This marriage had been in negotiations for almost a decade, and Charles had grown frustrated with the lack of progress. He was twenty-two years old and wanted to strike out for himself, independent of his father and win Maria Anna directly, despite growing anti-Catholic and Spanish feeling in England.
After travelling incognito through France, over the Pyrenees, and into Spain successfully, and despite several scrapes along the way which could have cost the prince’s life, Charles and Buckingham arrived in Madrid in March, surprising Philip IV who had not received word they were coming. But they were welcomed, and the two Englishmen enjoyed the festivities of the Spanish court, not realising that their adventure was doomed to certain failure.
The Spanish believed Charles would not have undertaken this journey if he did not intend to convert to Catholicism. They also expected Charles to agree to repeal the anti Catholic Penal Laws in England if the marriage went ahead. While these conditions would never be acceptable to the English, Charles remained, unwilling to return to England without the Infanta, hoping further negotiations would be more successful.
Eventually, he realised he would not win the bride he wanted. Maria Anna herself did not hold Charles in high regard, and she would never have married a Protestant. Charles and Buckingham returned to England in October that same year and despite their failure, they were greeted with celebrations. Crowds gathered to cheer the prince as he made his way back to London, and bonfires burned. Anti-Spanish sentiment was so high, the people rejoiced that he had not brought home a Spanish princess. But Charles and Buckingham were so furious with the failure of their endeavour that they demanded that the ailing James I declare war on Spain.
Forced to look elsewhere for a bride who would bring him the wealth and powerful allies that he needed, Charles now turned his attention to France and to Henrietta Maria, the fifteen year old sister of Louis XIII. Charles had first seen her in Paris when he and Buckingham were en route to Spain and the two were married by proxy on 1 May 1625 – just five weeks after the death of his father and Charles’s accession to the throne.
Images: Charles I of England, after Daniel Mytens, c.1623, via Wikimedia Commons. Portrait of Maria Anna, by Diego Velázquez, 1630, via Wikimedia Commons.
But their final destination was not to be France but the court of Philip IV in Spain, for these two men were Prince Charles – the future Charles I, son of James I – and George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. They were on a secret mission to secure a marriage between Charles and the Catholic Spanish Infanta, Maria Anna.
This marriage had been in negotiations for almost a decade, and Charles had grown frustrated with the lack of progress. He was twenty-two years old and wanted to strike out for himself, independent of his father and win Maria Anna directly, despite growing anti-Catholic and Spanish feeling in England.
After travelling incognito through France, over the Pyrenees, and into Spain successfully, and despite several scrapes along the way which could have cost the prince’s life, Charles and Buckingham arrived in Madrid in March, surprising Philip IV who had not received word they were coming. But they were welcomed, and the two Englishmen enjoyed the festivities of the Spanish court, not realising that their adventure was doomed to certain failure.
The Spanish believed Charles would not have undertaken this journey if he did not intend to convert to Catholicism. They also expected Charles to agree to repeal the anti Catholic Penal Laws in England if the marriage went ahead. While these conditions would never be acceptable to the English, Charles remained, unwilling to return to England without the Infanta, hoping further negotiations would be more successful.
Eventually, he realised he would not win the bride he wanted. Maria Anna herself did not hold Charles in high regard, and she would never have married a Protestant. Charles and Buckingham returned to England in October that same year and despite their failure, they were greeted with celebrations. Crowds gathered to cheer the prince as he made his way back to London, and bonfires burned. Anti-Spanish sentiment was so high, the people rejoiced that he had not brought home a Spanish princess. But Charles and Buckingham were so furious with the failure of their endeavour that they demanded that the ailing James I declare war on Spain.
Forced to look elsewhere for a bride who would bring him the wealth and powerful allies that he needed, Charles now turned his attention to France and to Henrietta Maria, the fifteen year old sister of Louis XIII. Charles had first seen her in Paris when he and Buckingham were en route to Spain and the two were married by proxy on 1 May 1625 – just five weeks after the death of his father and Charles’s accession to the throne.
Images: Charles I of England, after Daniel Mytens, c.1623, via Wikimedia Commons. Portrait of Maria Anna, by Diego Velázquez, 1630, via Wikimedia Commons.
Charles I begins 11 years of personal rule
It was today in 1629 that Charles I dissolved his third parliament and began his eleven years of Personal Rule – when he governed alone and refused to call a parliament. He had been king for almost four years, and had clashed with his parliament from the very beginning of his rule.
In the medieval period it was usual that the king ruled his kingdom personally, with assistance from a council which likely included representatives of the most powerful families, senior members of the church, and civil servants. Edward I was the first king to call a parliament as he wanted to ensure that the changes he wished to make to laws and taxation were acceptable to the people of England. It was costly and time consuming to call a parliament, so they were summoned sparingly and dissolved by the king once the specific task had been completed and the king would continue governing the country himself. From the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries, the power of parliament grew and it became accepted that only a parliament could impose new or greater taxes.
Charles’s father James I believed in the divine right of kings – that as monarch, the only authority above him was God and therefore he should be able to govern without answering to a parliament. However, James was often very short of money and so was forced to summon parliaments frequently in order to raise funds through taxes. When parliament was sitting, they often insisted that the king agree to various laws and policies before they would agree to support the increased taxation.
With this history and his own strong belief that the king’s powers could not be challenged, when parliament began to criticise Charles I more harshly, he decided to rule without them. This was feasible, but only if he made peace with France and Spain, as without parliament he could never raise enough funds to continue waging war.
As the years passed, and with Charles unable to raise taxes the traditional way through parliament, the king and his advisors were forced to utilise increasingly complex ways to raise enough money to successfully run the country. One of the most unpopular of these was a ship money levy. Usually only applied to coastal counties during wartime, Charles extended it inland, claiming it fell under his royal prerogative. It raised him significant amounts of extra money.
It was when Charles tried to bring the Church of Scotland more in line with the Church of England that his Personal Rule came to an end. The Scots resented Charles’s interference and opposed the changes – this eventually escalated into the Bishop’s War, when Scotland invaded England in 1639. Charles needed money to pay troops to fight the Scots and finally had to call a parliament. This parliament lasted less than a month before Charles dissolved it, but by now he was out of options and out of money.
Forced to recall parliament a few months later, they demanded enormous concessions from the king – in particular, passing an Act that meant parliament could not be dissolved without the consent of its members. They did not want to risk another eleven years of Charles governing alone.
Unsurprisingly, Charles was unhappy with the demands. The breakdown between the king and parliament eventually led to the First English Civil War in 1642, with Charles leaving London to raise his army and regain by force the authority he believed to be his God given right.
Image: Charles I (1600-1649) with M. de St Antoine, by Anthony van Dyck, 1633. RCIN 405322. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019
In the medieval period it was usual that the king ruled his kingdom personally, with assistance from a council which likely included representatives of the most powerful families, senior members of the church, and civil servants. Edward I was the first king to call a parliament as he wanted to ensure that the changes he wished to make to laws and taxation were acceptable to the people of England. It was costly and time consuming to call a parliament, so they were summoned sparingly and dissolved by the king once the specific task had been completed and the king would continue governing the country himself. From the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries, the power of parliament grew and it became accepted that only a parliament could impose new or greater taxes.
Charles’s father James I believed in the divine right of kings – that as monarch, the only authority above him was God and therefore he should be able to govern without answering to a parliament. However, James was often very short of money and so was forced to summon parliaments frequently in order to raise funds through taxes. When parliament was sitting, they often insisted that the king agree to various laws and policies before they would agree to support the increased taxation.
With this history and his own strong belief that the king’s powers could not be challenged, when parliament began to criticise Charles I more harshly, he decided to rule without them. This was feasible, but only if he made peace with France and Spain, as without parliament he could never raise enough funds to continue waging war.
As the years passed, and with Charles unable to raise taxes the traditional way through parliament, the king and his advisors were forced to utilise increasingly complex ways to raise enough money to successfully run the country. One of the most unpopular of these was a ship money levy. Usually only applied to coastal counties during wartime, Charles extended it inland, claiming it fell under his royal prerogative. It raised him significant amounts of extra money.
It was when Charles tried to bring the Church of Scotland more in line with the Church of England that his Personal Rule came to an end. The Scots resented Charles’s interference and opposed the changes – this eventually escalated into the Bishop’s War, when Scotland invaded England in 1639. Charles needed money to pay troops to fight the Scots and finally had to call a parliament. This parliament lasted less than a month before Charles dissolved it, but by now he was out of options and out of money.
Forced to recall parliament a few months later, they demanded enormous concessions from the king – in particular, passing an Act that meant parliament could not be dissolved without the consent of its members. They did not want to risk another eleven years of Charles governing alone.
Unsurprisingly, Charles was unhappy with the demands. The breakdown between the king and parliament eventually led to the First English Civil War in 1642, with Charles leaving London to raise his army and regain by force the authority he believed to be his God given right.
Image: Charles I (1600-1649) with M. de St Antoine, by Anthony van Dyck, 1633. RCIN 405322. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019
Charles I attempts escape
Today in 1648, Charles I attempted to escape his prison at Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight.
In the final stages of the first English Civil war, Charles had suffered a series of defeats by the Parliamentarians culminating in the Siege of Oxford in April 1646 from which Charles escaped disguised as a servant. Running out of options, he was forced to seek shelter with the Scots – who in January 1647 turned the king over to Parliament in exchange for money.
Charles and Parliament entered negotiations for a peace settlement but these would ultimately be fruitless, and Charles began to fear an assassination attempt. He was moved from house to house, eventually being transferred to Hampton Court Palace – from which he made his first attempt at escape in November 1647. Charles successfully got away from his jailers, but felt there was nowhere in England he would be safe. Unable to get a ship to join his Queen in France, he decided to go to the Isle of Wight as he was convinced the governor Colonel Hammond would be sympathetic to his cause.
Unfortunately for Charles, this was not the case – Hammond had Charles confined to Carisbrooke Castle and sent word to Parliament. Charles found himself in an even worse position. After a former Royalist officer attempted to raise the people of the island to storm the castle and free Charles, small freedoms and luxuries he had enjoyed even while under guard at Hampton Court Palace were now denied him, and he was watched closer than ever.
It’s unsurprising his thoughts turned to escape again, but his attempt today in 1648 was unsuccessful. His plan was to climb out of his bedroom window – while there were bars on the window, Charles believed he would be able to squeeze between them. But he was mistaken, and got stuck between two bars and struggled to free himself. The escape attempt was abandoned. Charles continued to try and negotiate, taking advantage of the divisions in the Parliamentary side and also making a secret alliance with the Scots, actions that emboldened the Royalists and led to the second English Civil war which began in May 1648.
It is during this time that my upcoming novel – Tidelands – is set, when the effects of six years of civil war are felt throughout the country, even as far as the remote marshlands of the south, where our heroine Alinor lives.
Image: Charles I (1600-49), by Anthony Van Dyck, 1635-before June 1636, RCIN 404420, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019
In the final stages of the first English Civil war, Charles had suffered a series of defeats by the Parliamentarians culminating in the Siege of Oxford in April 1646 from which Charles escaped disguised as a servant. Running out of options, he was forced to seek shelter with the Scots – who in January 1647 turned the king over to Parliament in exchange for money.
Charles and Parliament entered negotiations for a peace settlement but these would ultimately be fruitless, and Charles began to fear an assassination attempt. He was moved from house to house, eventually being transferred to Hampton Court Palace – from which he made his first attempt at escape in November 1647. Charles successfully got away from his jailers, but felt there was nowhere in England he would be safe. Unable to get a ship to join his Queen in France, he decided to go to the Isle of Wight as he was convinced the governor Colonel Hammond would be sympathetic to his cause.
Unfortunately for Charles, this was not the case – Hammond had Charles confined to Carisbrooke Castle and sent word to Parliament. Charles found himself in an even worse position. After a former Royalist officer attempted to raise the people of the island to storm the castle and free Charles, small freedoms and luxuries he had enjoyed even while under guard at Hampton Court Palace were now denied him, and he was watched closer than ever.
It’s unsurprising his thoughts turned to escape again, but his attempt today in 1648 was unsuccessful. His plan was to climb out of his bedroom window – while there were bars on the window, Charles believed he would be able to squeeze between them. But he was mistaken, and got stuck between two bars and struggled to free himself. The escape attempt was abandoned. Charles continued to try and negotiate, taking advantage of the divisions in the Parliamentary side and also making a secret alliance with the Scots, actions that emboldened the Royalists and led to the second English Civil war which began in May 1648.
It is during this time that my upcoming novel – Tidelands – is set, when the effects of six years of civil war are felt throughout the country, even as far as the remote marshlands of the south, where our heroine Alinor lives.
Image: Charles I (1600-49), by Anthony Van Dyck, 1635-before June 1636, RCIN 404420, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019
