The King's Assassin
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Table of Contents
About the Author
Photos
Copyright Page
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In memory of Anthony Sheil, 1932–2017, and Professor John Henry, 1939–2007
With special thanks to Nicholas Martin and Matthew
List of Illustrations
SECTION ONE
Page
1. George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham by Michiel J. van Miereveld © Fine Art Images / Heritage Images / Getty Images.
2. Villiers family portrait with George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham seated © Royal Collection Trust / © HM Queen Elizabeth II 2017.
3. A watercolour of Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset by Nicholas Hilliard © National Portrait Gallery, London.
A portrait of Esmé Stuart, 1st Duke of Lennox © The National Galleries of Scotland.
4. James VI of Scotland, I of England by Paul van Somer c.1620 Royal Collection Trust © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2017 / Bridgeman Images.
5. A portrait of Anne of Denmark c.1616 by Paul van Somer © Private Collection / Bridgeman Images.
6. A portrait of Sir Francis Bacon by Paul van Somer © Private Collection / Bridgeman Images.
An engraving of Edward Coke, judge and MP by James Posselwhite © Granger / Bridgeman Images.
7. Lady Manners and Lord Buckingham as Venus and Adonis c.1620 by Anthony Van Dyck © akg-images.
8. A portrait of George’s wife Katherine Manners, Duchess of Buckingham, c.1633 by Anthony Van Dyck © Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire, UK / Bridgeman Images.
The Duke of Buckingham and his Family by Gerrit van Honthorst © National Portrait Gallery, London.
SECTION TWO
Page
1. A charcoal portrait of George Villiers, sketched by Peter Paul Rubens © Albertina, Vienna.
A portrait of Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, c.1612 by Isaac Oliver / Royal Collection Trust © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2017 / Bridgeman Images.
A young Charles I as the Duke of York by Robert Peake © National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh / Bridgeman Images.
2. A portrait of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, King of Bohemia by Michiel Jansz. van Miereveld © Edinburgh University Library, Scotland / with kind permission of the University of Edinburgh / Bridgeman Images.
A portrait of Elizabeth of Bohemia, The Winter Queen, early 1620s by Michiel Jansz. van Miereveld / Private Collection / Photo © Philip Mould Ltd, London / Bridgeman Images.
3. A portrait of Conde de Gondomar © Art Collection 2 / Alamy Stock Photo.
4. A portrait of Maria Anna of Spain, 17th century © De Agostini Picture Library / G. Dagli Orti / Bridgeman Images.
Philip III of Spain c.1621 by Bartolome Gonzalez © Monasterio de la Encarnacion, Madrid, Spain / Index / Bridgeman Images.
A portrait of Anne of Austria by Louis Ferdinand Elle the Elder / Private Collection / © Richard Philp, London / Bridgeman Images.
Don Gaspar de Guzman, Count-Duque de Olivares © Varez-Fisa Collection / Bridgeman Images.
5. A portrait of Endymion Porter, diplomat and royalist by Anthony Van Dyck © York Museums Trust (York Art Gallery), UK / Bridgeman Images.
Sir John Eliot, English statesman © Classic Image / Alamy Stock Photo.
Supper with James engraving by Melchior Tavernier © Private Collection / Bridgeman Images.
6. A portrait of Queen Henrietta Maria by Anthony Van Dyck c.1632 © His Grace The Duke of Norfolk, Arundel Castle / Bridgeman Images.
An engraving of William Harvey from ‘Gallery of Portraits’ / Private Collection / Photo © Ken Welsh / Bridgeman Images.
7. An equestrian Portrait of the Duke of Buckingham, 1625 by Peter Paul Rubens © Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas, USA / Bridgeman Images.
8. The title page of A Briefe Description of the Notorious Life of John Lambe c.1628 / British Library, London, UK / © British Library Board. All Rights Reserved / Bridgeman Images.
A portrait of King Charles and his family c.1630 by Anthony Van Dyck © Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, UK / Bridgeman Images.
Dramatis Personae
Anne of Austria
Queen of France, wife of Louis XIII, daughter of Philip III of Spain, sister of the Infanta Maria
Anne of Denmark
Wife of King James, mother of Charles
Aston, Sir Walter
James’s permanent ambassador in Madrid
Atkins, Dr Henry
President of the College of Physicians, Mayerne’s deputy as royal physician
Bacon, Francis
Lord Chancellor, George’s mentor
Beaumont, Anthony
Mary’s father
Beaumont, Henry
Provided a home for Mary in her early teens, Leicestershire MP who had served alongside Sir George Villiers
Beton, Dr David
French physician, one of James’s doctors during his final illness
Brett, Arthur
Groom of the royal bedchamber who became contender for royal favourite in 1624
Carr, Robert, Earl of Somerset
James’s favourite from 1607 until his downfall in 1616, following the discovery of the Overbury plot
Chamberlain, John
Letter-writer and commentator
Chambers, Dr James
One of James’s Scottish physicians
Chevreuse, Duc de
Protestant French duke, Charles’s proxy at his marriage, George’s host during his visit to collect Henrietta Maria
Chevreuse, Duchesse de
Marie de Rohan, wife of the Duc de Chevreuse, mistress of Henry Rich, lady-in-waiting to Anne of Austria
Coke, Edward
Lawyer, MP and Francis Bacon’s rival
Coloma, Carlos
Spanish ambassador ‘extraordinary’, 1622–24
Compton, Sir Thomas
Mary’s third husband, George’s stepfather
Conway, Sir Edward
Royal secretary
Cottington, Sir Francis
Charles and George’s companion during the Madrid escapade
Craig, Dr John
One of James’s Scottish physicians
Cranfield, Lionel
Disgraced Lord Treasurer, and member of the pro-Spanish clique
D’Ewes, Simonds
Lawyer and diarist
D’Effiat, Marquis
Antoine Coëffier de Ruzé d’Effiat, French ambassador
Digby, John, Earl of Bristol
James’s special ambassador in Madrid, responsible for the Spanish match negotiations
Eglisham, George
James’s Scottish physician, friend of James Hamilton, and author of The Forerunner of Revenge alleging George’s poisoning of Hamilton and King James
Eliot, Sir John
Cornish MP, Vice Admiral of Devon, and latterly George’s fiercest critic
Elisabeth of France
> Queen of Spain, wife of Philip IV, daughter of Marie de’ Medici
Elizabeth
James’s daughter, wife of Frederick, Count Palatine; known as the ‘Winter Queen’ following her short reign as Queen of Bohemia
Elizabeth I
Final Tudor monarch of England and James’s predecessor; died in 1603
Erskine, Thomas
Lord Fenton (or Fentoun), Earl of Kellie, James’s loyal Scottish servant, received the Order of the Garter in 1615, with George’s support
Ferdinand II
Holy Roman Emperor, member of the Habsburg dynasty
Frances
Daughter of Lady Hatton and Edward Coke, wife of John, George’s brother
Francesco, Don
François de Carondelet, Spanish envoy recruited in 1624 to deal with George
Frederick, Count Palatine
Husband of Elizabeth, James’s daughter; Protestant ruler of German provinces around the Rhine and bordering the modern Czech Republic collectively known as the Palatinate, briefly King of Bohemia
George
George Villiers, first Duke of Buckingham
Gondomar, Conde de
Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, Spanish ambassador in London 1613–18, 1620–22, 1624; known, thanks to his closeness to James, as one of the ‘Two Diegos’
Goring, Sir George
One of the ‘Master Fools’ who helped introduce George to court in 1615, later an MP and proxy for George in the House of Commons
Graham, Sir John
George’s first champion, introduced him to James
Graham, Sir Richard
George’s Master of the Horse and bodyguard during Madrid escapade
Gresley, Walsingham
Steward to John Digby, James’s ambassador in Madrid
Hamilton, James
George Eglisham’s childhood friend, Marquis of Hamilton, allegedly poisoned by George
Harvey, Dr William
One of James’s English physicians, later Charles’s personal doctor and medical pioneer
Hatton, Lady
Elizabeth, wife of Edward Coke, mother of Frances, wife of John, George’s brother
Henrietta Maria
Sister of Louis XIII of France and wife of Charles
Henry, Prince of Wales
James’s son and heir, who died in 1612
Herbert, Philip
Earl of Montgomery, brother of William, James’s hunting companion and Baynard’s Castle conspirator
Herbert, William
Earl of Pembroke, Baynard’s Castle conspirator, introduced George to court in 1615
Hinojosa, Marquis de
Juan de Mendoza, Spanish ambassador 1623–24
James
James VI of Scotland and I of England, member of Stuart dynasty; son of Mary, Queen of Scots
Kate
Kate Villiers, née Manners, George’s wife, daughter of the Earl of Rutland
Lister, Dr Matthew
Royal physician and ‘censor’ of the College of Physicians
Louis XIII
King of France
Maestro, Father
Friar Diego Lafuente, Spanish ‘agent’ in London, 1623–24
Mansfeld, Count
German mercenary hired to retake the Palatinate
Maria, Infanta of Spain
Charles’s proposed bride, daughter of Philip III of Spain, sister of Philip IV of Spain and of Anne of Austria
Mary
George’s mother, daughter of Anthony Beaumont, second wife of Sir George Villiers, became Countess of Buckingham in 1618
Mayerne, Sir Theodore
James’s chief physician
Medici, Marie de’
Mother of Louis XIII, King of France
Moore, Dr John
Physician, said to be a Catholic, who attended James’s final illness
Olivares, Conde de
Philip IV of Spain’s valido or chief minister and favourite
Paddy, Sir William
Former president of College of Physicians and one of James’s most senior doctors
Philip III
King of Spain, father of Philip IV, Anne of Austria and the Infanta Maria, member of the Habsburg dynasty
Philip IV
Son and heir of Philip III, King of Spain after his father’s death in 1621; brother of the Infanta Maria and Anne of Austria
Porter, Endymion
George’s Spanish secretary and companion in Madrid
Ramséy, Dr Alexander
One of James’s Scottish physicians
Remington, John
Mary’s doctor, from Dunmow in Essex
Reynor, Sir William
Mary’s wealthy second husband, George’s stepfather
Rich, Henry
Earl of Holland, England’s ambassador in Paris
Rich, Robert
Earl of Warwick, friend of George
Rutland, Earl of
Francis Manners, father of Kate, George’s wife
Stuart, Esmé
French cousin of James and the king’s first favourite
Stuart, Ludovick
Duke of Lennox and Richmond, loyal Scottish servant of James, son of Esmé Stuart
Villiers, Sir Edward
George’s half-brother, son of Sir George by his first wife
Villiers, Sir George
George’s father
Villiers, John
George’s eldest brother
Villiers, Kit, or Christopher
George’s younger brother
Villiers, Susan
George’s sister
Villiers, Sir William
George’s half-brother, eldest son of Sir George, inheritor of the Villiers estate
Williams, John
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, Bishop of Lincoln and member of the pro-Spanish clique
Winwood, Sir Ralph
Royal secretary, supporter but then enemy of Carr, responsible for his downfall by discovering the Overbury plot
Wriothesley, Henry
Earl of Southampton, and one of George’s occasional rivals and enemies
Prologue
The group portrait hangs in a ‘private area’ of Highgrove House, the country residence of Charles, the current Prince of Wales. A valuable and rather puzzling historical artefact, it is only available for direct inspection by members of the royal household, as it is in ‘a very high security location … impossible to access’, according to a representative of the Surveyor of the Queen’s Pictures.
It shows a family: two children dressed in white, three women in scarlet, three men and an older woman in black. It was probably commissioned by Prince Charles’s namesake and ancestor, Charles I, some time between January 1628, when its youngest subject was born, and 23 August of that year, the day its central figure was assassinated.