Henrietta Maria and the English civil wars
By: Michelle A. White.
Publisher: Ashgate
Published: 2005
Place of publication: Aldershot, Hants, England; Burlington, VT
Language: eng
Number of pages: 224
Subjects: Henrietta Maria, Queen, consort of Charles I, King of England, 1609-1669.; Henrietta Maria, Queen, consort of Charles I, King of England, 1609-1669 -- Influence.; Queens -- Great Britain -- Biography.; Great Britain -- History -- Charles I, 1625-1649.; Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649.
Genres: Biography.
Description: "The influence exercised by Queen Henrietta Maria over her husband Charles I during the English Civil Wars, has long been a subject of interest. To many of her contemporaries, especially those sympathetic to Parliament, her French origins and Catholic beliefs meant that she was regarded with great suspicion. Later historians picking up on this, have spent much time arguing over her political role and the degree to which she could influence the decisions of her husband. What has not been so thoroughly investigated, however, are issues surrounding the popular perceptions of the Queen that inspired the plethora of pamphlets, newsbooks and broadsides.

Although most of these documents are polemical propaganda devices that tell us little about the actual power wielded by Henrietta Maria, they do throw much light on how contemporaries viewed the King and Queen, and their relationship." "In this book Michelle White tackles Henrietta's actual and perceived influence, and how this was portrayed in popular print by those sympathetic and hostile to her cause. In so doing she presents a vivid portrait of a strong willed woman who had a profound influence on the course of English history."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p.  ) and index.
Table of contents: title: The queen ascendant (1625-35); title: The influential queen (1635-42); title: Championing of the king's cause (1642-43); title: In the news : Henrietta Maria and English civil war news culture; title: The queen at Oxford (1643-44); title: Exile and defeat : the queen in France (1644-49).