Politics, Religion and Popularity in Early Stuart Britain

Revisionism has had a far-reaching impact upon the history of politics and religion in early Stuart Britain. The essays collected here were originally published in 2002, and set out to assess this impact and develop further some of the central themes highlighted in the work of the historian Conrad Russell, and address a series of themes arising out of recent debates on the causes of the English Civil War. The subject-matter ranges from high-political narrative to the study of rumour, gossip, and print culture. Topics covered include the character of Charles I's kingship, the place of Parliament in the political system, the divisive legacy of the English Reformation, and the problems posed by trying to unite England with Scotland and Ireland. The collection will interest readers concerned with the political and religious history, and also the literature, of early seventeenth-century Britain.