A Court in Exile

The first full study of the exiled King James II's court in France.

When King James II was deposed during the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688-89 he and his family fled to France, to live in the Château of Saint-Germain near Versailles. This is the first full study of the magnificent setting and workings of James's court-in-exile and of its rich cultural patronage.Court studies and Jacobitism have both received considerable attention from historians in recent years, yet so far no attempt has been made to provide a comprehensive examination of the Jacobite court in exile after the revolution of 1688–9. This book takes a completely fresh look at the Stuart court in France during the years when the Jacobite movement posed its greatest threat to the post-revolution governments in London. The Stuart court at Saint-Germain-en-Laye is revealed as not only large and well financed, but also magnificently located in a spectacular royal palace vacated only recently by Louis XIV and in very close contact with the French court at Versailles - yet maintaining the traditions, organisation and ceremonial of the English court at Whitehall. The book also shows how the Stuart court in France came to an end, and explains why and how it has since been so badly misrepresented.