3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An outstanding biography . . ., October 17, 2011
This review is from: A Royal Passion: The Turbulent Marriage of King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France (Hardcover)
. . . of the relationship between King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France.
An English King, required by law to be a Protestant, but clearly sympathetic to the "High Church" party which wished to restore much of the "Catholicism" to the Church of England.
A French Princess, a devout Roman Catholic, who seeks freedom, or at least, a relief from persecution of England's Catholics.
A marriage, which begins with difficulty and tension, and grows into a genuine love-match.
An increasingly hostile Parliament, with a growing (and fanatical) Puritan membership.
One would expect conflict -- and conflict abounds.
This wonderful biography examines not only the complexities of the relationship between King Charles and Henrietta, but also explores, in some detail, this turbulent time in English history. The reasons behind the civil war which eventually cost the King his head are also explained in detail. I was already familiar with many of the details of the life of King Charles, but my horizon was greatly expanded with regard to his Queen.
I suspect that most Americans are unaware of the religious plottings and machinations which plunged England into civil war -- because this war was every be as religious, as well as political. I further suspect that most Americans also do not understand the tyranny England experienced under Cromwell, and how it far exceeded any failing of the King. Finally, I suspect that most Americans are unaware that the Church of England considers the King to be not only a saint, but martyr as well.
A highly recommended read for anyone interested in English history -- religious OR secular. Five stars.
(As an aside, the seminary I attended had a stained glass window dedicated to "Charles Stuart" and another to his Archbishop (also murdered by the Puritans) William Laud.)
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3 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
I wanted to like this book, October 28, 2010
This review is from: A Royal Passion: The Turbulent Marriage of King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France (Hardcover)
But, I couldn't finish it.
A decent look at the complex relationship between Charles I of England, and his wife, Henrietta Maria, sister of the King of France.
He, required by English Law to be Protestant, and she, allowed by the details of her marriage contract to practice the illegal Catholic religion in England, eventually create a complex political situation that leads to the English Civil War. Sometimes, it's not particularly the book that is the problem, it's the absolute foolishness of the historical figures, which, for me, is the case here.
Charles, over time, tends to be more and more sympathetic to the concerns of his wife's religion, while at the same time being completely unsympathetic to the issues of fairness and equity raised by his Parliaments. Henrietta, brought up in an absolutist state (of France), reinforces Charles' tendency to be unwilling to compromise with the English representatives.
A folie a deux that eventually becomes uninteresting.
As to the book itself, well researched, slightly repetitive, and occasionally debunking stereotypes that, since I wasn't particularly familiar with the details of the couple's relationship, I didn't need debunked.
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