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Charles was never meant to be king but rose to the challenge and he and Henrietta led a glittering court. Sadly they were at odds with Parliament and the people which led to Civil War.
What will we cover?
This course will cover the background to how the Stuarts succeeded to the English throne from already being rulers of Scotland and what effect this dual role had on them and their subjects. Charles’s childhood in the shadow of his brilliant brother Henry will be looked at and how Henry’s sudden death thrust him into the centre of politics. Charles’s personal life will also be looked at including his problems in finding a wife and producing heirs as well as his religious convictions and how this affected his role as monarch. His marriage to the French princess Henrietta Maria was a diplomatic coup but her Catholicism was to cause many problems with his British subjects. His attempts to rule without Parliament will be looked at and how this led to Civil War and the ultimate loss of his throne. Henrietta survived her husband to encourage her children to play a role in the future of Europe and the restoration of the British monarchy. She joined her son back in England and lived at the Queen’s House again after nearly 20 years absence.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Identify key stages in the history of early Stuart England
Demonstrate understanding of the roles of the king and parliament in the C17th
Contribute to discussions on why we had a civil war and how it could have been avoided.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is an `introductory` course and does not assume previous study or reading although you will need a good
grasp of English to keep up with the course. As with most of our history and current affairs courses, an open mind
and a willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than
specific levels of skills.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Illustrated lectures, discussions, questions.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No. Please bring pen and paper.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
HBH100 The life and times of Charles 11. Please see the City Lit Website.
After a BA in History & Geography at Keele with Music, Education and Greek Studies as subsidiaries, William Sterling taught History full-time before becoming a Civil Servant working for the Departments of Transport and Education. This allowed him to study part-time for his MA from Birkbeck and PhD from King’s College, London. From 1992, he lectured in Adult Education at a number of colleges before joining the City Lit in 2008. Since 1994 he has been an official Gallery Guide at the British Museum, covering the whole museum but specialising in the Ancient Greeks, Romans and Etruscans, the Medieval & Modern European and Enlightenment Galleries. As a lecturer, he specialises in those same areas as well as Royal History (especially British Monarchs from 1603 to 1910), Composers’ Lives and other Cultural, especially interdisciplinary, topics. He also lectures on Cruise Ships on subjects ranging from Vikings to Shakespeare. He runs a website offering free resources on the subjects he teaches.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/the-life-and-times-of-king-charles-i1444585The life and times of King Charles Ihttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/l/i/life-times-king-charles-hbh95-square.jpg7979GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/British & Irish history22851177117816301228511771178Famous as the only British king to be executed, Charles should also be remembered as the greatest patron of the arts who sat on our throne.001444441The life and times of King Charles I7979https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/l/i/life-times-king-charles-hbh95-square_1.jpgInStockDaytimeFriOnlineAvailable courses1 to 4 weeksWeekday2025-11-07T00:00:00+00:00Nov 2025Culture, history & humanitiesHBH957979The life and times of King Charles I635179William Sterlingthe-life-and-times-of-king-charles-i/hbh95-2526Famous as the only British king to be executed, Charles should also be remembered as the greatest patron of the arts who sat on our throne.0000-Available|2025-11-07 00:00:00Charles was never meant to be king but rose to the challenge and he and Henrietta led a glittering court. Sadly they were at odds with Parliament and the people which led to Civil War.Famous as the only British king to be executed, Charles should also be remembered as the greatest patron of the arts who sat on our throne.This course will cover the background to how the Stuarts succeeded to the English throne from already being rulers of Scotland and what effect this dual role had on them and their subjects. Charles’s childhood in the shadow of his brilliant brother Henry will be looked at and how Henry’s sudden death thrust him into the centre of politics. Charles’s personal life will also be looked at including his problems in finding a wife and producing heirs as well as his religious convictions and how this affected his role as monarch. His marriage to the French princess Henrietta Maria was a diplomatic coup but her Catholicism was to cause many problems with his British subjects. His attempts to rule without Parliament will be looked at and how this led to Civil War and the ultimate loss of his throne. Henrietta survived her husband to encourage her children to play a role in the future of Europe and the restoration of the British monarchy. She joined her son back in England and lived at the Queen’s House again after nearly 20 years absence.Identify key stages in the history of early Stuart England<br />
Demonstrate understanding of the roles of the king and parliament in the C17th<br />
Contribute to discussions on why we had a civil war and how it could have been avoided.This is an `introductory` course and does not assume previous study or reading although you will need a good <br />
grasp of English to keep up with the course. As with most of our history and current affairs courses, an open mind <br />
and a willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than <br />
specific levels of skills.Illustrated lectures, discussions, questions.No. Please bring pen and paper.HBH100 The life and times of Charles 11. Please see the City Lit Website.virtual637951HBH95NONEFri07/11/25 - 21/11/2510:30 - 12:3010:3012:303 sessions (over 3 weeks)31 to 4 weeksDaytimeWeekdayOnlineOnlineWilliam SterlingAvailable courses2025-11-07T00:00:00+00:00Nov 2025Culture, history & humanities7979The life and times of King Charles Ithe-life-and-times-of-king-charles-i/hbh95-2526Famous as the only British king to be executed, Charles should also be remembered as the greatest patron of the arts who sat on our throne.0000-Available|2025-11-07 00:00:00Charles was never meant to be king but rose to the challenge and he and Henrietta led a glittering court. Sadly they were at odds with Parliament and the people which led to Civil War.Famous as the only British king to be executed, Charles should also be remembered as the greatest patron of the arts who sat on our throne.This course will cover the background to how the Stuarts succeeded to the English throne from already being rulers of Scotland and what effect this dual role had on them and their subjects. Charles’s childhood in the shadow of his brilliant brother Henry will be looked at and how Henry’s sudden death thrust him into the centre of politics. Charles’s personal life will also be looked at including his problems in finding a wife and producing heirs as well as his religious convictions and how this affected his role as monarch. His marriage to the French princess Henrietta Maria was a diplomatic coup but her Catholicism was to cause many problems with his British subjects. His attempts to rule without Parliament will be looked at and how this led to Civil War and the ultimate loss of his throne. Henrietta survived her husband to encourage her children to play a role in the future of Europe and the restoration of the British monarchy. She joined her son back in England and lived at the Queen’s House again after nearly 20 years absence.Identify key stages in the history of early Stuart England<br />
Demonstrate understanding of the roles of the king and parliament in the C17th<br />
Contribute to discussions on why we had a civil war and how it could have been avoided.This is an `introductory` course and does not assume previous study or reading although you will need a good <br />
grasp of English to keep up with the course. As with most of our history and current affairs courses, an open mind <br />
and a willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than <br />
specific levels of skills.Illustrated lectures, discussions, questions.No. Please bring pen and paper.HBH100 The life and times of Charles 11. Please see the City Lit Website.configurable
16301178British & Irish historyhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/history-culture-and-writing/history/british-and-irish-studies1/2/285/1177/1178/16301/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/British & Irish history
