The Street Theatre of State: The Ceremonial Opening of Parliament, 1603–60

Abstract

This article revisits a fairly familiar topic – early modern ceremonial relating to the state opening of parliament – in order to analyse both new evidence and neglected themes. Thus, while it examines the projection of political authority, and the grandeur of state, it also addresses the audiences for, and popular reactions to, such events, and supplements treatment of James I and Charles I with observations regarding Oliver Cromwell and Richard Cromwell during the protectorate. This involves challenging claims that have repeatedly been made about the ‘monarchical’ style of Cromwellian regimes, but it also involves emphasizing that different rulers and regimes thought carefully about how best to ensure that their approach to ceremonial accurately reflected their governmental style, and about how to take account of audiences and the political mood on the streets of London. Indeed, the article emphasizes the degree to which Charles I sought to balance the desire to project regal authority with concerns about decorum and disorder, while Cromwellian protectors were more preoccupied with the need to balance grandeur with a civic plain‐style.