Description
- Abstract:
- This thesis examines the stories of two figures -- the Duke of Monmouth and the Duke of York -- in England from 1670 to 1688. Using diaries, broadside ballads, political pamphlets and myths, newspapers, and instances of seditious speech, this thesis uncovers how and why the traditional, elite definition of legitimacy (as a legal concept defined by Christian marriage law) was beginning to give way in favor of other criteria that defined an heir's suitability to the throne and a larger consideration of elective kingship. This thesis finds that this movement towards a holistic consideration of potential successors rose from both the class of political elites and the general public and that the qualities used to judge successors were not determined by class, and instead incorporated ideas of popularity and religion. This thesis corrects previous scholarship on the ways that the general public was considered to be uninvolved in or unable to discern political dialogue and intervenes by considering the stories of these men and the reactions to the events surrounding them together. These findings are significant for understanding how English subjects in this period of history, on the eve of the Glorious Revolution, began to transition away from a system of divine right monarchy.
- Notes:
- Senior thesis (AB)--Brown University, 2022
- Concentration: History
Access Conditions
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- Rights
- In Copyright
- Restrictions on Use
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Citation
Ryu, Gemma L.,
"'Make heirs for monarchs, and for God decree': Views of Legitimacy, Succession, and the English Monarchy, 1670-1688"
(2022).
History Theses and Dissertations.
Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library.
https://doi.org/10.26300/yhz8-db39
