The Divine Right of Kings

[PrincessKaimi]

I'm reading about Henry III and Edward I of England, and it really struck me how much they believed that they were divinely chosen and backed up by God in all their actions. They were favored in war up until the Battle of Lewes, and so they thought God was literally on their side. God could not allow bad things to happen to his chosen King. Then, when they lost at the Battle of Lewes, both were very shaken up in their religious views.

I've been wondering about later monarchs and whether they truly believed they were divinely chosen and supported. For example, Henry VIII strikes me as someone who cynically manipulated his relationship to the Church; he clearly thought of himself as the Head of the CoE, but did he really believe he was divinely chosen? Does anyone know if he ever spoke to that issue? Would Queen Elizabeth I have been able to think she was divinely chosen, given how there were other claims to the throne? Seems to me that if she truly trusted God to protect her on the throne, she wouldn't have needed to deal with Mary, Queen of Scots, as she did.

Louis XIV, it is said, truly believed he was chosen of God and favored by Him, therefore his belief in himself as the Sun King and his extraordinary extravagance (and certainty that everyone would accept everything he did). Just one generation later, the French were openly questioning the legitimacy of monarchy (under Louis XV) and of course, openly demonstrating that God was not going to intervene to rescue his "chosen" King by guillotining Louis XVI.

I've asked people who know Russian history questions about this, and they seem to think that the Tsars, especially those descended from Vladimir I, believed they were chosen by God to make Russia into a Christian nation (and perhaps the site of the New Jerusalem).

Anyway, I'm interested in all your expertise about various monarchs and their views of their relationship to God/Divine Right. If and when the idea of the Divine Right disappears, how does that change the monarchy? Do some existing monarchies still have this belief (I'm wondering in particular about some of those outside Europe). Is this doctrine still articulated today (even in minor ways, as by titles or styles - or by rhetoric at courtly events)?

I know the idea was prominent in Egypt, of course, but was surprised to see how strongly (according to the people I'm reading) that English kings believed this and I am especially curious how this view finally went away (if it did) in England and France.

Thanks for any viewpoints or comments!

[Tilla]

Unfortunately, I am not very strong in history of religion, but I think in the Gothic Period, the belief in God was so extremely different from today.
In any case, we all, king or not king, are chosen and supported by God, always.

[PrincessKaimi]

I am really interested, I guess, in the history of how royals think about religion (not so much, the rest of us - at least not on this forum). I just don't see how English Kings, past Edward I or so, could have maintained this view - but I'm guessing that some of them still had the idea that they were God's special agents on earth.

[nascarlucy]

I don't know the thoughts of royals but would imagine that if one were a King of Queen or a heir to the throne or a prince that they would believe that they they are special in some way. Not everyone is born titled or born with a silver spoon in their mouth. I believe that everyone is born into this world with a purpose, royals are no different.

I think all monarchs (regardless of where they come from,) believe that they are special. Ditto for other royalty. Some may actually believe that they are divine or have a special relationship with God but would never say so in public in modern times (keep this to themselves) or never show that they believe this. A monarch or any other royal who said this openly would be subject to criticism.

In some countries divine right of Kings and and the belief that the monarch and his family having a special relationship with God still prevails. This belief has been around for a very long time (since the beginning of time).

Because of the things that have happened over the centuries to monarchs and their families as well as other royals (tragedies, bad luck, illness, early death, deaths of children at young ages), God certainly didn't shine down on them. I wonder if they thought about that when these things happened since some of them might have believed that God thought that they were special or divine above everyone else. If this were the case, then things like tragedies, bad luck, illness, early death or deaths of children at early ages) would not occur.

Too many times centuries ago divine right of kings caused people's rights to be violated or trampled upon. It was used as a justification for just about anything (invading another country or rounding up and killing opponents or innocent people). God's name was also used for this purpose sadly.

[cmbruno]

French, English and Scottish Kings were believed to have the divine power to cure scrofula during the Middle Age. Scrofula also was called King's Evil. Even Bonnie Prince Charlie touched people to cure them from skin deseases. It seems that Queen Anne was the last one to perform this kind of healing.

[PrincessKaimi]

So interesting. That's what I've been wondering about - what the Kings and Queens thought they could do, what records we have of them doing things they thought were divine, and what they said or did when things didn't work out so well.

I didn't know that that Bonnie Prince Charlie touched to heal skin disease - or that such practices were going on as late as Queen Anne.

[nwinther]

In Denmark too, divine rights played a part - especially following the reformation in 1536. But both before and after it became a political game where the nobility and the burghers/peasants joined or opposed the king and as such the divinity of it all became a matter of ritual rather than something that was closely adhered to. It certainly played a minor role in the day-to-day workings of the kingdom.

[PrincessKaimi]

I'm reading several pieces about Henry II and his various sons. From what I can tell, Henry II thought he had more to do with remaining on his own throne than God did - he doesn't seem to have had the view that God put him and kept him safe on the throne.

King Richard is a bit more complicated. He clearly felt called to the Cross for the crusades and that any true Prince or King should be battling for God and the Holy Land. King John, I think, was much more like his father in being a bit cynical about God's role in establishing monarchic dynasties.

[COUNTESS]

It was the "big sell". It was God's will. Poor God. So,men who wielded big swords and, often, murdered whole towns and villages, had the strength to proclaim that, "God" put them there. God put no monarch on his throne, except King David, and I am sure that taught God to stay out of this type of business.

[PrincessKaimi]

Countess, you are cracking me up.

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Originally Posted by COUNTESS

It was the "big sell". It was God's will. Poor God. So,men who wielded big swords and, often, murdered whole towns and villages, had the strength to proclaim that, "God" put them there. God put no monarch on his throne, except King David, and I am sure that taught God to stay out of this type of business.

The bolded part needs to be a signature and put on a bumper sticker. LoL
Not only the divine rights of kings, but even in every day life there are people who will use God to prove the rightness of their position. I recall some politicians who claim it was God's will to go to war with another country, and if we will it proves that God was "on our side".

[Emperor Roku XIV]

Louis XVI seemed to believe this quite strongly, but it cost him his life! I guess you can't really blame him, he grew up raised to believe that it was his divine right. But he still wasn't a very good king.

[PrincessKaimi]

Bad kings claiming to be God's chosen ruler do not reflect well on God, that's for sure.