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A Royal Passion: The Turbulent Marriage of King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France
A royal marriage, based on romantic passion and ferocious, unbridgeable religious differences, ends in tragedy ”a history worthy of Shakespeare.
It was, from the start, a dangerous experiment. Charles I of England was a Protestant, the fifteen-year-old French princess a Catholic. The marriage was arranged for political purposes, and it seemed a mismatch of personalities. But against the odds, the reserved king and his naively vivacious bride fell passionately in love, and for ten years England enjoyed an era of peace and prosperity.When Charles became involved in war with Puritan Scotland, popular hatred of Henrietta's Catholicism roused Parliament to fury. As the opposition party embraced new values of liberty and republicanism”the blueprint for the American War of Independence and the French Revolution”Charles's fears for his wifes safety drove him into a civil war that would cost him his crown and his head.
Rejecting centuries of hostile historical tradition, prize-winning biographer Katie Whitaker uses a host of original sources”including many unpublished manuscripts and letters ”to create an intimate portrait of a remarkable marriage. 16 pages of illustrations
416 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2009
10 people are currently reading
1506 people want to read
About the author
Katie Whitaker
3 books7 followersKatie Whitaker did a Ph. D in the History of Science at Cambridge, where she was awarded the Thirlwall Prize and Medal for the best original research by a young scholar under 30. She has also been a Century Fellow at the University of Chicago where she was awarded an MPhil. She lives in Yorkshire, England, with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
June 3, 2014
King Charles I followed the royal penchant for drama to a ‘T’. His reign ushered in a bloody civil war, he was beheaded, and in turn: his family was exiled. His wife, Queen Henrietta Maria of France, also lived a high-profile life of twists and turns. Put these two together and the result is quite a remarkable union. Katie Whitaker portrays this marriage in, “A Royal Passion: The Turbulent Marriage of King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France”.
Instead of penning a dual biography on Charles and Henrietta Maria; Whitaker takes a unique angle of focusing on the marriage, itself. The author aims to explore the union’s effects on politics/Charles’s reign and vice versa. Thus, readers should not expect a detailed introduction into the individual lives of each figure and instead prepare to gain insight into Charles and Henrietta as a unit. Fear not though, as Whitaker successfully reveals both Charles and Henrietta which results in the reader truly getting to know them and those in their court.
Whitaker excels at opening this window view due to a heavy usage of primary sources. “A Royal Passion” is chock full of quotes from diaries, letters, and manuscripts which have been buried away under dust but were uncovered by Whitaker; offering new information even to those familiar with the subject. Whitaker compellingly presents these facts while debunking some myths with proper backup and sourcing. Her tone is assertive, academic, and scholarly but is still accessible to the common reader.
“A Royal Passion” is quite the page-turner with a strong pace and a narrative feel which builds suspense and anticipation (Whitaker would be great at procuring a HF novel). Long story short: the piece is well-written and entertaining while being educational. The main annoyance, however, is Whitaker’s excess of starting sentences with “And” and “But”. This is an often repeated thread in books lately and one which is quite annoying.
Some readers may feel that “A Royal Passion” isn’t detailed enough and is too much of an overview. Of course some parts are more in-depth than others. This adds to readability, though, and enough facts are presented to still satisfy without venturing off on tangents. Whitaker is better at staying on topic than many other history writers. It should be noted that there is an issue with a (sometimes) lack of chronology in the retelling which makes some events and chapters choppy.
The median point of “A Royal Passion” highlights more of the religious and civil disruptions in Charles’s reign. This is connected well with the impact on the marriage and conversely, the marriage’s impact on the uprisings versus being simply a historical retelling. In this fashion, Whitaker teaches a dual lesson on these events plus on the personal life of King Charles.
The concluding chapters of “A Royal Passion” are exponentially weaker than the rest of the text. Whitaker rushes to the end, as though she was trying to fit into a committed word count while also being disjointed and ‘jumping’ with the history. The final pages are not as memorable as Whitaker clearly hoped for them to be and therefore, the emotional impact is less than meaty.
“A Royal Passion” includes a section of notes (although not detailed) and a bibliography for the delight of staunch fact-seekers.
Despite an unsatisfying ending; “A Royal Passion” is a unique view into the reign of Charles I and truly invites the reader into his inner domestic life while academically connecting the private with the public politics. Whitaker’s text is well-written, compelling, and entertaining resulting in an exciting history lesson. I look forward to other works from the author. “A Royal Passion” is suggested for all readers interested in Stuart England.
Instead of penning a dual biography on Charles and Henrietta Maria; Whitaker takes a unique angle of focusing on the marriage, itself. The author aims to explore the union’s effects on politics/Charles’s reign and vice versa. Thus, readers should not expect a detailed introduction into the individual lives of each figure and instead prepare to gain insight into Charles and Henrietta as a unit. Fear not though, as Whitaker successfully reveals both Charles and Henrietta which results in the reader truly getting to know them and those in their court.
Whitaker excels at opening this window view due to a heavy usage of primary sources. “A Royal Passion” is chock full of quotes from diaries, letters, and manuscripts which have been buried away under dust but were uncovered by Whitaker; offering new information even to those familiar with the subject. Whitaker compellingly presents these facts while debunking some myths with proper backup and sourcing. Her tone is assertive, academic, and scholarly but is still accessible to the common reader.
“A Royal Passion” is quite the page-turner with a strong pace and a narrative feel which builds suspense and anticipation (Whitaker would be great at procuring a HF novel). Long story short: the piece is well-written and entertaining while being educational. The main annoyance, however, is Whitaker’s excess of starting sentences with “And” and “But”. This is an often repeated thread in books lately and one which is quite annoying.
Some readers may feel that “A Royal Passion” isn’t detailed enough and is too much of an overview. Of course some parts are more in-depth than others. This adds to readability, though, and enough facts are presented to still satisfy without venturing off on tangents. Whitaker is better at staying on topic than many other history writers. It should be noted that there is an issue with a (sometimes) lack of chronology in the retelling which makes some events and chapters choppy.
The median point of “A Royal Passion” highlights more of the religious and civil disruptions in Charles’s reign. This is connected well with the impact on the marriage and conversely, the marriage’s impact on the uprisings versus being simply a historical retelling. In this fashion, Whitaker teaches a dual lesson on these events plus on the personal life of King Charles.
The concluding chapters of “A Royal Passion” are exponentially weaker than the rest of the text. Whitaker rushes to the end, as though she was trying to fit into a committed word count while also being disjointed and ‘jumping’ with the history. The final pages are not as memorable as Whitaker clearly hoped for them to be and therefore, the emotional impact is less than meaty.
“A Royal Passion” includes a section of notes (although not detailed) and a bibliography for the delight of staunch fact-seekers.
Despite an unsatisfying ending; “A Royal Passion” is a unique view into the reign of Charles I and truly invites the reader into his inner domestic life while academically connecting the private with the public politics. Whitaker’s text is well-written, compelling, and entertaining resulting in an exciting history lesson. I look forward to other works from the author. “A Royal Passion” is suggested for all readers interested in Stuart England.
May 26, 2015
Wonderfully researched, with much insight into how royal courtships and marriages were conducted at the time (very bizarrely to my modern eyes.) It also really brought to life the loving but tempestuous relationship between Charles I and Henrietta Maria, and how their relationship changed over the years. Another huge feature in the book was religion, and the rifts between Catholics, Anglicans and Puritans, and the great passions that people felt for their chosen spiritual paths.
I found it absolutely fascinating, but also a great read - I think I turned the pages faster and faster as the book went along. A cracking read.
I found it absolutely fascinating, but also a great read - I think I turned the pages faster and faster as the book went along. A cracking read.
August 31, 2010
Well-written and moving account of a mismatched couple who came to love each other dearly and who were separated by tragedy. I especially liked the early chapters, where the author separated history from myth.
November 27, 2014
When I was seven, my class did a topic on the Tudors. I fell in love. It's never really gone away - I still think the Tudors are fairly amazing. Anyway, when the term's topic ended and we moved on (to the Aztecs, it just wasn't the same thing even if they did have cocoa beans), I tried to console myself by reading further on in my Kings and Queens of England and Scotland book (the Plantagenet Somerset Fry one which is tragically no longer in print) and through this discovered the Stuarts. Somehow, I never thought that they were as good. By then I was eight and to my objective eye, their hair was too long, their clothes were weird and they were just silly people who didn't know how to govern properly. I have read a lot about the Victorians and the Plantagenets but somehow I've never taken a great deal of interest in the Stuarts. But then ... I moved to Oxford. During the Civil War, Oxford was the Royalist stronghold and my place of work is where Henrietta Maria lived and held court. So ... my curiousity was finally piqued. I read about the Curious Case of the Headless King.
A Royal Passion sounds like a bad bodice-ripper. It's kind of written like one too. It starts at the end, Charles' final days. You can't help but feel sorry for the man preparing himself to die, bravely putting on two shirts lest he shudder and be thought afraid but then panicking that the executioner will behead him before he is ready. No one deserves that fate. Hundreds of miles away in France, his wife does not believe that Parliament will dare execute him. He writes her a poignant last message of farewell, swearing that their love for each other has been the one constant in his life and has been what he has clung to during his final difficult months. Her grief will endure for the rest of her life.
This is a very atmospheric account of the royal marriage, Whitaker breathily describes the idyllic days of the 1630s, full of sunshine and hunts and masques. Yet somehow although Whitaker is obviously trying to squeeze into the template of the Tragic Romance, for me it just did not quite fit. Even in the early chapters, Whitaker casually notes that Charles I had an affair during his final months of captivity but dismisses the relationship as being purely sexual and having very little bearing on his over-riding love for his wife. Er ... what? My mind's eye sums up Charles I whining, "It didn't mean anything - I love Henrietta." What right did Whitaker have to decide on what his adultery meant? Although she claims that she is using a variety of 'original' sources, it seemed a bit limited. The affair is never mentioned again and Whitaker seems to be writing with just as much of an angle as the French officials who she is so swift to criticise.
For my full review:
http://girlwithherheadinabook.blogspo...
A Royal Passion sounds like a bad bodice-ripper. It's kind of written like one too. It starts at the end, Charles' final days. You can't help but feel sorry for the man preparing himself to die, bravely putting on two shirts lest he shudder and be thought afraid but then panicking that the executioner will behead him before he is ready. No one deserves that fate. Hundreds of miles away in France, his wife does not believe that Parliament will dare execute him. He writes her a poignant last message of farewell, swearing that their love for each other has been the one constant in his life and has been what he has clung to during his final difficult months. Her grief will endure for the rest of her life.
This is a very atmospheric account of the royal marriage, Whitaker breathily describes the idyllic days of the 1630s, full of sunshine and hunts and masques. Yet somehow although Whitaker is obviously trying to squeeze into the template of the Tragic Romance, for me it just did not quite fit. Even in the early chapters, Whitaker casually notes that Charles I had an affair during his final months of captivity but dismisses the relationship as being purely sexual and having very little bearing on his over-riding love for his wife. Er ... what? My mind's eye sums up Charles I whining, "It didn't mean anything - I love Henrietta." What right did Whitaker have to decide on what his adultery meant? Although she claims that she is using a variety of 'original' sources, it seemed a bit limited. The affair is never mentioned again and Whitaker seems to be writing with just as much of an angle as the French officials who she is so swift to criticise.
For my full review:
http://girlwithherheadinabook.blogspo...
June 7, 2014
The cheesy, generic title does a disservice to a serious, readable account of the reign of Charles I. History-lite, but sufficiently scholarly at that.
August 5, 2024
Nicky and Alix before there was a Nicky and Alix, really.
April 3, 2025
A Royal Passion: The Turbulent Marriage of King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France by Katie Whitaker is a readable history that makes the relationship between Charles and Henrietta accessible. That said there were some political and relationship elements that I wish got barely more than a mention. Then again, some of those elements wouldn't quite fit the overall tone of her book.
June 6, 2011
This book started with a very interesting premise: that the significance of the marriage between King Charles I and Henrietta Maria had been underestimated and that its very nature had been misrepresented and misunderstood for centuries. Whitaker stepped forth to address both these issues.
I'm always skeptical of books with an "issue" or something to prove. Sometimes they're very important and correct, but other times they become myopic in their focus and ignore any contrary data or evidence. I kept an eye out for both in this book, but Whitaker managed to avoid both pitfalls. She achieves the laudatory feat of making a rigorously cited text readable and engaging.
She understands that in order to be taken seriously as she opposes the accepted version of history, she has to be scrupulous in citing her material and very clear in her interpretation of that material. She begins by explaining that the accepted version of history comes primarily from the diary of one ambassador who, in retrospect, had a vested interest in making sure events were perceived a certain way.
At first, the visual effect of so many quotation marks on each page was off-putting and a little overwhelming. But Whitaker weaves the quotes into the body of her text so skillfully that the sentences sound natural, and the quotes serve only to bolster her arguments. Emphasizing which words and phrases in particular were quoted was very effective, because it allowed the reader to know precisely what information she's drawing from. I would recommend this to all historians, were I not so worried that few will be able to execute the method as well as Whitaker did.
Only in a few spots did Whitaker let her subject matter run away from her; she occasionally made a few too many excuses for Charles and Henrietta's political actions. However, these were mainly isolated events and, on the whole, this is an intriguing, well-written, well-researched book that offers a fascinating insight on a pivotal era.
I'm always skeptical of books with an "issue" or something to prove. Sometimes they're very important and correct, but other times they become myopic in their focus and ignore any contrary data or evidence. I kept an eye out for both in this book, but Whitaker managed to avoid both pitfalls. She achieves the laudatory feat of making a rigorously cited text readable and engaging.
She understands that in order to be taken seriously as she opposes the accepted version of history, she has to be scrupulous in citing her material and very clear in her interpretation of that material. She begins by explaining that the accepted version of history comes primarily from the diary of one ambassador who, in retrospect, had a vested interest in making sure events were perceived a certain way.
At first, the visual effect of so many quotation marks on each page was off-putting and a little overwhelming. But Whitaker weaves the quotes into the body of her text so skillfully that the sentences sound natural, and the quotes serve only to bolster her arguments. Emphasizing which words and phrases in particular were quoted was very effective, because it allowed the reader to know precisely what information she's drawing from. I would recommend this to all historians, were I not so worried that few will be able to execute the method as well as Whitaker did.
Only in a few spots did Whitaker let her subject matter run away from her; she occasionally made a few too many excuses for Charles and Henrietta's political actions. However, these were mainly isolated events and, on the whole, this is an intriguing, well-written, well-researched book that offers a fascinating insight on a pivotal era.
November 4, 2014
What a sad book. I am a huge English history buff, in particular Tudor and Stuart monarchies, and King Charles II most of all. I have not read a great deal about his parents, despite their obvious importance and I am less acquainted with the English Civil War than I should be so I decided to start working my way backward and outward in terms of their dynasty.
This book covers the marriage of Charles II's parents, Henrietta Maria of France and Charles the I and their experience before, during and in Henrietta's case after the Civil War. The author does an amazing job of weaving personal stories with history throughout the book--she covers facts and details and numbers and all of the other important points in a historical account but keeps the people very human and fascinating. In particular she does a wonderful job of getting across the experiences that Charles endured through most of his reign. I knew the basics of the civil war but this book really brought home how terrible it was personally and how voracious the enemies of Charles and most especially Henrietta Maria were. It seems despite the years of personal happiness that nearly the entire reign was full of strife on the political front and that the strain must have been terrible on a family already divided by religious differences. I never felt as much empathy with Charles I as I did reading the accounts of his being badgered literally to tears by his MP's and his concessions in an attempt to save the lives of his courtiers, friends and allies who were being targeted based on their Catholicism. He is often depicted as a wishy-washy and somewhat weak man, but the truth is that I walked away admiring his fortitude. Separated from his family, stripped of what he'd been raised to believe was his God-given power, he still managed to keep his head up and attempt to do what he felt was best for his people and his position--none of which was good for him personally.
More often than not, royal marriages were arranged affairs that did not often result in compatibility, but this was not the case between Henrietta and Charles. Despite their youth, the difference in religion and country, theirs was a true love story. The letters between them are personal and loving and really bring to life the two people who wrote them. While all of England suffered in the Civil War, both in personal and political ways, these two and their family were suffering as well. Separation, attempts to strip them of their own religious freedoms while decrying any attempts to stifle The Church of England, France and Rome both attempting to get Henrietta Maria to essentially convert Charles, constant interference in their lives in every possible way, they never wavered from their affection for each other and their desperate attempts to keep each other safe and help each other. It is truly a doomed and sad love story underneath what was probably the most turbulent time in England's history. It's not hard to see why Charles II was often remarked to be a melancholy fellow despite his love of pageantry, theater and women--the very marriage he sprung from was a heartbreak and a half. An extremely well done account of personal lives in the midst of history in the making.
This book covers the marriage of Charles II's parents, Henrietta Maria of France and Charles the I and their experience before, during and in Henrietta's case after the Civil War. The author does an amazing job of weaving personal stories with history throughout the book--she covers facts and details and numbers and all of the other important points in a historical account but keeps the people very human and fascinating. In particular she does a wonderful job of getting across the experiences that Charles endured through most of his reign. I knew the basics of the civil war but this book really brought home how terrible it was personally and how voracious the enemies of Charles and most especially Henrietta Maria were. It seems despite the years of personal happiness that nearly the entire reign was full of strife on the political front and that the strain must have been terrible on a family already divided by religious differences. I never felt as much empathy with Charles I as I did reading the accounts of his being badgered literally to tears by his MP's and his concessions in an attempt to save the lives of his courtiers, friends and allies who were being targeted based on their Catholicism. He is often depicted as a wishy-washy and somewhat weak man, but the truth is that I walked away admiring his fortitude. Separated from his family, stripped of what he'd been raised to believe was his God-given power, he still managed to keep his head up and attempt to do what he felt was best for his people and his position--none of which was good for him personally.
More often than not, royal marriages were arranged affairs that did not often result in compatibility, but this was not the case between Henrietta and Charles. Despite their youth, the difference in religion and country, theirs was a true love story. The letters between them are personal and loving and really bring to life the two people who wrote them. While all of England suffered in the Civil War, both in personal and political ways, these two and their family were suffering as well. Separation, attempts to strip them of their own religious freedoms while decrying any attempts to stifle The Church of England, France and Rome both attempting to get Henrietta Maria to essentially convert Charles, constant interference in their lives in every possible way, they never wavered from their affection for each other and their desperate attempts to keep each other safe and help each other. It is truly a doomed and sad love story underneath what was probably the most turbulent time in England's history. It's not hard to see why Charles II was often remarked to be a melancholy fellow despite his love of pageantry, theater and women--the very marriage he sprung from was a heartbreak and a half. An extremely well done account of personal lives in the midst of history in the making.
October 11, 2015
Excellent biography...detestable woman...deluded man.
September 11, 2021
The relationship between Charles I and his wife Henrietta Maria definitely deserves a mini-series of its own. I started reading it around St. Valentine’s Day in search of a few regal coupling stories, and I have to say, there definitely was a great deal of romance in this marriage.
💍
This larger-than-life story is set in a period that’s crucial to our own time - the age when Kingship as they knew it, lost its divine authority forever. Netflix, Prime, Hulu - I’m talking to you here. This story has all the potential for an Early Modern Epic. 👀P.S. the mid-Stuart clothes for both men and women are stunning....all those feathers...
Back to the lovers. Amidst all the court drama and all the chaos of war, religious disagreements and political peripeteias, Charles and Henrietta meet, marry and become unusually devoted to each other. ♥️
Of course, as it is in any historical love story, the narrative becomes especially romantic when the couple is apart and the constant exchange of letters keeps the story going.
💌
Henrietta Maria usually gets very bad rap for being the Catholic She-Wolf that led her husband astray from his job The Head of the Church of England. England being at war with itself, as well as Scotland and Ireland didn’t help matters.
⚔️
This book, having been written from the royal couple’s point of view, helps explain the choices they did and the consequences that followed.
👑
All in all, I can definitely say that Regal Romance gets even more dramatic when set against the backdrop of a civil war. #KeepItStuart #StuartSaturday
💍
This larger-than-life story is set in a period that’s crucial to our own time - the age when Kingship as they knew it, lost its divine authority forever. Netflix, Prime, Hulu - I’m talking to you here. This story has all the potential for an Early Modern Epic. 👀P.S. the mid-Stuart clothes for both men and women are stunning....all those feathers...
Back to the lovers. Amidst all the court drama and all the chaos of war, religious disagreements and political peripeteias, Charles and Henrietta meet, marry and become unusually devoted to each other. ♥️
Of course, as it is in any historical love story, the narrative becomes especially romantic when the couple is apart and the constant exchange of letters keeps the story going.
💌
Henrietta Maria usually gets very bad rap for being the Catholic She-Wolf that led her husband astray from his job The Head of the Church of England. England being at war with itself, as well as Scotland and Ireland didn’t help matters.
⚔️
This book, having been written from the royal couple’s point of view, helps explain the choices they did and the consequences that followed.
👑
All in all, I can definitely say that Regal Romance gets even more dramatic when set against the backdrop of a civil war. #KeepItStuart #StuartSaturday
March 2, 2025
A good overview of the lives of Charles I and Henrietta Maria. Their marriage was considered politically advantageous. In spite of the politics, they loved each other, rare for a royal marriage in their time.
I didn't know much about these two people before reading this book, only that Charles lost his head and Henrietta lived in France. This book seeks to humanize them, and it hopes to dispel certain myths and legends surrounding the couple.
While the descriptions of the politics of the day could get extremely boring for me, I really enjoyed reading about the personal lives of Charles, Henrietta, and their family.
Enjoyable historical reading.
I didn't know much about these two people before reading this book, only that Charles lost his head and Henrietta lived in France. This book seeks to humanize them, and it hopes to dispel certain myths and legends surrounding the couple.
While the descriptions of the politics of the day could get extremely boring for me, I really enjoyed reading about the personal lives of Charles, Henrietta, and their family.
Enjoyable historical reading.
April 9, 2019
Hauntingly brave & loving!
Everybody has heard of the ill fated King Charles I who was executed by the English parliament but we will have only seen portraits of
his wife Henrietta Maria this book introduces us to the real woman herself & her very troubling but eventual happy marriage, the woman herself was brave but sometimes a little childish given her years! Finally she was able to help and even love the man she was sent to marry! I admire her greatly for the woman she was but also feel for her when she sadly lost him as well!
Everybody has heard of the ill fated King Charles I who was executed by the English parliament but we will have only seen portraits of
his wife Henrietta Maria this book introduces us to the real woman herself & her very troubling but eventual happy marriage, the woman herself was brave but sometimes a little childish given her years! Finally she was able to help and even love the man she was sent to marry! I admire her greatly for the woman she was but also feel for her when she sadly lost him as well!
June 25, 2017
I learned many things. The Stuarts are not a family that I know well and it amazes me to learn what a thing Catholicism was. And poor Charles, who was legit a Protestant unto his death, was insufficiently Protestant and/or too Catholic based on who you asked.
February 6, 2019
The story of Henrietta and Charles unfolds like a novel. She looks a the evidence and presents the case from all angles resulting in a clearer understanding of England's unpopular queen and her unfortunate spouse.
April 19, 2019
Charles I was pretty much a failure as a King. He did, however, love his French Catholic Queen. The marriage caused him no end of political problems - as he was the head of the Church of England. He also was deposed and lost his head! Not a good ending for him!
December 15, 2017
Human quarrels which lead to war even among Christians. Today it's Democrats and Republicans among Americans, will it lead to bloodshed?
April 17, 2024
Extremely interesting and well worth reading.
February 9, 2017
3.5 stars.
A decent read, not dull or one of those dense and scholarly books, but as it was the first book I've read on Charles I/Henrietta and the period, I would have preferred a bit more detail regarding the Civil War and its politics.
A decent read, not dull or one of those dense and scholarly books, but as it was the first book I've read on Charles I/Henrietta and the period, I would have preferred a bit more detail regarding the Civil War and its politics.
November 18, 2020
Initially interesting but I didn't finish the book. The fault is not the author's but rather boredom with the repeated bad decisions by the subjects, sorrow at the troubles caused by the religious wars, and a voice in my head that kept pointing out what a stupid idea is heredity monarchy.
November 4, 2016
There is a good book waiting to be written about the marriage of Charles I and Henrietta Maria, which is a tale of passion, sleaze, politics, religious devotion, war, and disaster. This isn't it.
The main problem of the book is a lack of real focus on the politics of the marriage, public perception in both Britain and Europe based on primary evidence. Buckingham wasn't to blame for the problems of the early years of the marriage - that was the contradictions of the marriage treaty and the confusing politics that made the marriage tricky - he was in fact trying to get Charles to be nicer to her. The idea that Charles was 'the last medieval king of England' is flat out wrong - i wont go into the debate over whether Charles was trying to set himself up as an absolute monarch along french lines, but when you consider that a number of his polices were about exploiting the countries resources more effectively, doesn't seem medieval to me.
It's a poor effort to imitate Nicholas & Alexandra (Robert Massie should get royalties every time one of these knockoffs gets published!). Too much mawkishness, too much in thrall in the Whig tradition which like a proverbial zombie, just won't bloody die no matter how many times you shoot it in the head. Whittaker ignores a lot of evidence to make her story work, such as the fact that Charles I was most likely not a virgin when he married in 1625 and in fact had possibly already fathered an illegitimate daughter; that many at the time were convinced including possibly Henrietta herself that him and Buckingham were in fact lovers (the true nature of the relationship is a moot point); or that their marriage pretty much fell apart when Henrietta left for her second exile with both probably pursuing affairs with other people (actually Charles definitely was sleeping with a certain Jane Whorwood by this time, and it's possible that Henrietta had taken up with Henry Jermyn, of whom she was said to have borne a child after Charles execution and married). For a period and place with such a sumptuous visual record the puny picture section is disappointing. I feel this would have been a far better book in the hands of a more hard headed and less sentimental author who was interested at looking at both the two protagonists, the short and long term consequences of the marriage and its impact (the fact that their descendants are barred from the succession even today must surely be of some importance), and the changing nature of the relationship, including the breakdown and a serious look at any possible infidelities on the part of both.
The main problem of the book is a lack of real focus on the politics of the marriage, public perception in both Britain and Europe based on primary evidence. Buckingham wasn't to blame for the problems of the early years of the marriage - that was the contradictions of the marriage treaty and the confusing politics that made the marriage tricky - he was in fact trying to get Charles to be nicer to her. The idea that Charles was 'the last medieval king of England' is flat out wrong - i wont go into the debate over whether Charles was trying to set himself up as an absolute monarch along french lines, but when you consider that a number of his polices were about exploiting the countries resources more effectively, doesn't seem medieval to me.
It's a poor effort to imitate Nicholas & Alexandra (Robert Massie should get royalties every time one of these knockoffs gets published!). Too much mawkishness, too much in thrall in the Whig tradition which like a proverbial zombie, just won't bloody die no matter how many times you shoot it in the head. Whittaker ignores a lot of evidence to make her story work, such as the fact that Charles I was most likely not a virgin when he married in 1625 and in fact had possibly already fathered an illegitimate daughter; that many at the time were convinced including possibly Henrietta herself that him and Buckingham were in fact lovers (the true nature of the relationship is a moot point); or that their marriage pretty much fell apart when Henrietta left for her second exile with both probably pursuing affairs with other people (actually Charles definitely was sleeping with a certain Jane Whorwood by this time, and it's possible that Henrietta had taken up with Henry Jermyn, of whom she was said to have borne a child after Charles execution and married). For a period and place with such a sumptuous visual record the puny picture section is disappointing. I feel this would have been a far better book in the hands of a more hard headed and less sentimental author who was interested at looking at both the two protagonists, the short and long term consequences of the marriage and its impact (the fact that their descendants are barred from the succession even today must surely be of some importance), and the changing nature of the relationship, including the breakdown and a serious look at any possible infidelities on the part of both.
April 9, 2018
A Royal Passion: The Turbulent Marriage of King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France (Hardcover)
by Katie Whitaker
by Katie Whitaker
June 17, 2013
Katie Whitaker has written an impeccably researched, gripping account of a royal marriage that was a personal success but a political disaster. She accomplished the rare feat of keeping me glued to the pages even though I knew in advance how Charles and Henrietta Maria's stories would end.
I don't know if I've ever seen an author use their sources so well. Whitaker wove the words of the couple's contemporaries seamlessly into her text, making 400-year-old events seem vivid and immediate.
I retained my sympathy throughout for this tragic couple, despite wanting to reach into the book numerous times to slap them silly! Charles was hard-headed and obstinate at exactly the times he should have been conciliatory, and confused and indecisive when bold action was needed. Henrietta was naive to think she could flaunt her Catholicism at court without arousing the suspicions and resentments of the Protestant English, which were exploited so effectively by Parliament to weaken the monarchy. She also had a knack for meddling at exactly the times it would prove most politically damaging.
Whitaker masterfully led me through the events leading to the English Civil War. This was a complicated time in history, but I never felt lost or overwhelmed. I wish she had given such comprehensive coverage to the war itself. She chose to end the main part of her book with Henrietta's 1642 flight to France, six months before Charles raised his standard at Castle Hill. That seemed a bit arbitrary to me; Henrietta and Charles continued planning and scheming together through letters for the next five years. Henrietta was even able to return to England briefly in 1643-44, conceiving and bearing her youngest daughter. Whitaker's mastery of the period was such I would have happily read a book twice as long that dealt thoroughly with their separation. As it was, she wrote two epilogue chapters on the war and restoration, cramming so much information into them that for the first time, I felt a bit lost.
I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it, especially to anyone like me who's just beginning to learn about this period. Because of Whitaker's introduction, I believe I'm about to go on a reading binge about the English Civil War.
I don't know if I've ever seen an author use their sources so well. Whitaker wove the words of the couple's contemporaries seamlessly into her text, making 400-year-old events seem vivid and immediate.
I retained my sympathy throughout for this tragic couple, despite wanting to reach into the book numerous times to slap them silly! Charles was hard-headed and obstinate at exactly the times he should have been conciliatory, and confused and indecisive when bold action was needed. Henrietta was naive to think she could flaunt her Catholicism at court without arousing the suspicions and resentments of the Protestant English, which were exploited so effectively by Parliament to weaken the monarchy. She also had a knack for meddling at exactly the times it would prove most politically damaging.
Whitaker masterfully led me through the events leading to the English Civil War. This was a complicated time in history, but I never felt lost or overwhelmed. I wish she had given such comprehensive coverage to the war itself. She chose to end the main part of her book with Henrietta's 1642 flight to France, six months before Charles raised his standard at Castle Hill. That seemed a bit arbitrary to me; Henrietta and Charles continued planning and scheming together through letters for the next five years. Henrietta was even able to return to England briefly in 1643-44, conceiving and bearing her youngest daughter. Whitaker's mastery of the period was such I would have happily read a book twice as long that dealt thoroughly with their separation. As it was, she wrote two epilogue chapters on the war and restoration, cramming so much information into them that for the first time, I felt a bit lost.
I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it, especially to anyone like me who's just beginning to learn about this period. Because of Whitaker's introduction, I believe I'm about to go on a reading binge about the English Civil War.
June 16, 2011
A Royal Passion is intensely well-researched. The author makes some claims that past research on this topic has been shortsighted and not as thorough. Assuming that her characterization of previous works are correct, she's done a good job of debunking those previous works. There are footnotes and quotes galore in this book, which just goes to show how much work went into this book. I don't doubt that this has become one of the go-to academic books for this topic, purely based on the strength of its research.
But, unfortunately, all those footnotes and all those quotes come with a heavy price in readability. The book takes such pain to make so many phrases as close to verbatim as possible that the language becomes stilted. Quotes, rather than being used to supplement the text, are in many places used to replace it. This is great, if you're looking for a thoroughly researched, dry academic text, but not so great if you're looking for a broader historical overview of the topic.
My rating for this book is probably unfair. This book does what it wants to do, as it establishes a very close relationship between Charles and Henrietta Maria. But it doesn't match what I wanted it to do.
But, unfortunately, all those footnotes and all those quotes come with a heavy price in readability. The book takes such pain to make so many phrases as close to verbatim as possible that the language becomes stilted. Quotes, rather than being used to supplement the text, are in many places used to replace it. This is great, if you're looking for a thoroughly researched, dry academic text, but not so great if you're looking for a broader historical overview of the topic.
My rating for this book is probably unfair. This book does what it wants to do, as it establishes a very close relationship between Charles and Henrietta Maria. But it doesn't match what I wanted it to do.
October 7, 2015
Great Book! I did get somewhat frustrated at Charles and Henrietta as they plunged toward what I knew was going to be their certain destruction. They seemed so isolated and clueless as to what was going on in the country as they both toyed with the Catholic religion in an England which was violently opposed to Papists in any way. I wondered why Charles was so stupidly reckless and gave into the childish whims of the much younger wife, Henrietta. They plunged England into civil war which ended in Charles' beheading, Henrietta's banishment back to France where she was an impoverished pariah and shunned by her family, and ultimately lead to Charles' entire family line being driven from the shores of England forever. The book is rich with historical content, but can drag unless one is an avid history buff.
June 8, 2017
I think the author spent too much time referring to her research notes instead of translating her findings into something that resembled her own conclusions. What little of her opinion did bleed through took a fairly apologist stance--it seems pretty clear to me that Henrietta Maria was at the heart of the English Civil Wars, even if it wasn't intentionally (though I'm not sold on that POV). One nice thing? With all of the quotations marks, I didn't have to wonder if it was true, just about the interpretation. That was a massive improvement over the last biography I picked up, whose author said he had the facts of the matter straight from his subject--who had been dead for well over a hundred years.
May 13, 2015
Nothing spectacular but it was still an interesting relationship to learn about. I actually knew very little about Charles and Henrietta. It seemed an unlikely pairing but ultimately turned into a deeply involved, loving relationship. While Whitaker made the subtle argument that Henrietta had little to do with Charles I's dealings with parlament I have to disagree. While I do not believe that she was fully responsible for the onset of the Civil War and Charles I's beheading...I do believe that her influence and deep connection to Catholicism did play a part in Charles I's decisions. Not to mention when he wanted to escape to France...she told him to stay put. Not long after...he lost his head.
February 17, 2015
3.5/5
I enjoyed the details of the relationship, especially the ones gleaned from the couple's letters. The middle was a little dull because its focus shifted onto the political maneuvers of the Civil War. I also wish that the author would've gone more into Henrietta's relationship with her children, because the last 20 years of her life were all crammed into one chapter. Henrietta's widowhood is as relevant to the romance as the marriage years were. Still, I generally enjoyed how Whitaker chose to tell the story. The constant use of quotes made the words seem more authentic.
Everything I read further convinces me that religion and politics should never mix.
I enjoyed the details of the relationship, especially the ones gleaned from the couple's letters. The middle was a little dull because its focus shifted onto the political maneuvers of the Civil War. I also wish that the author would've gone more into Henrietta's relationship with her children, because the last 20 years of her life were all crammed into one chapter. Henrietta's widowhood is as relevant to the romance as the marriage years were. Still, I generally enjoyed how Whitaker chose to tell the story. The constant use of quotes made the words seem more authentic.
Everything I read further convinces me that religion and politics should never mix.
December 29, 2010
It always takes me a while to get through historical biographies as opposed to historical novels, but I really enjoyed this book on Charles I and Henrietta. Certainly not as juicy as the Tudors and Henry VIII but a good story. Whitaker did a great job organizing all the information so the book flowed nicely, which can be a challenge. For the book to be about their love story, I did feel like it focused more on the political aspects rather than their personal story, but that may have something to do with the resources.
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