Chapter 2: James I and Charles I: character, court and favourites Flashcards
James I’s character
When James became king of England in 1603, he was already an experienced monarch due to his position as James VI of Scotland. He was an intellectual, outgoing man who enjoyed debate and dealing with people. These strong communication skills, paired with his pragmatism, enabled him to mostly make the ill-defined English political system work.
Charles I’s character
In contrast with his father, Charles was shy and hampered by a speech defect. This led to his being unapproachable and, more damaging, uncommunicative with Parliament. He had an inferiority complex that made him over stress his prerogative, and resulted in a lack of shrewdness or flexibility. Also, he was unwilling to compromise and seemed unable to understand viewpoints that different from his own, interpreting the slightest hint of criticism as rebellion.
Points of contact
Communication between the Political Nation and the monarch was crucial to the functioning of the English political system. The main points of contact were the Court and Parliament.
The Divine Right of Kings
The doctrine that kings derive their authority from God not their subjects, from which it follows that rebellion is the worst of political crimes. It suggests that monarchs are answerable only to God.
James I’s view on monarchy
James believed in the Divine Right of Kings, but was pragmatic when dealing with the balance between the royal prerogative and parliamentary privilege in the unwritten constitution. He was able to distinguish between the theory and practicalities of ruling. He saw himself as the ‘peacemaker king’ in his foreign policy and also sought compromise and negotiation with the Political Nation in England while defending his prerogative.
Charles I’s view on monarchy
Like his father, Charles believed in the Divine Right of Kings but took a more provocative approach when when dealing with the balance between the royal prerogative and parliamentary privilege. This strong defence of his prerogative was partly a result of his limited self-confidence. Charles was unwilling to negotiate and the nature of his court increasingly hampered dialogue with the Political Nation, ultimately leading to the undermining of his authority.
Royal court
This was the centre of power and the physical manifestation of the character and kingship of the monarch. It was divided into the public outer chambers and the private inner lodgings (or bedchamber) to which access was strictly controlled.
Privy Council
The King’s selected advisers who met in private to shape the monarch’s wishes into policy and oversee their implementation.
Bedchamber
The monarch’s private living space; the Gentlemen of the Bedchamber were courtiers who waited upon the monarch in these rooms; their duties included providing companionship to the monarch; in the Stuart Age, members of the Bedchamber were important figures at court, and their access to the king meant they could enjoy great political influence.
Faction
Competing groups in politics; in this case, dissenting groups based on the personal or family relationships that sought the favour of the monarch.
Patronage
Political success was based on establishing a network of support. Those furthest up the system could act as patrons to support ‘clients’ lower down the system. Through this support, the clients could gain advancement, and the patron could both show off his power and use his clients to carry out tasks appropriate to their place and connections. The political aim of all was to build and use a network of connections to move as close to the king as possible.
Catholicism
The faith of the Christian Church headed by the Pope; in the eyes of many English at the time, Catholicism was linked with absolutism, and the threat of both was symbolised by the power of Spain and France.
James I’s court
James’ court was an open and lively place that reflected the king’s enjoyment of life. While at its extreme, the court was criticised as drunken, immoral and debauched, James’ intellectual interests were also emphasised, particularly through his patronage of Shakespeare.
What tensions were there in James I’s court?
- The early dominance of the Bedchamber by Scots created concern amongst the English elite about their influence on James.
- James’ first appointment of an Englishman was George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham. This created a new source of tension.
Charles I’s court
Charles regarded his court as a microcosm of his state and imposed strict order. It included only his supporters, which made it seem isolated from the rest of the country and offered those outside no point of contact in the political process. The court seemed to be dominated by Catholics and Arminians, creating greater damage due to links to absolutism.
