Abstract

In 1685, as part of his wider restructuring of many English boroughs, James II altered the composition of the corporation of Windsor. For a brief period the town was governed by a group of men who simultaneously held court positions. But these were not outsiders. The regular presence of the court meant that uniquely at Windsor the King was able to pack a borough corporation with royal servants who had genuine local connections. One visible legacy of their short time in office is the town’s Guildhall. This unusual case illustrates the potential influence of the royal household in local politics in early-modern England but also some of the limits on that influence.

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