Medieval Coronation Oath. A Kingly Contract?
When looking at the Rights of Kings it is important to remember that it is not only their ‘right’ to be on the throne that has to be considered. The monarch also has a wide array of responsibilities. These needed to be upheld in order to maintain legitimacy as Monarch. Throughout the Medieval era these rights and responsibilities were enshrined, as they are today, into the Coronation Oath. An oath was sworn as part of a monarchs coronation that included solemn promises to God and the people. Typically, these oaths held that the King would:
- Maintain Peace
- Ensure Order
- Be Just and Fair
- Protect the Church and it’s Rights
There are many forms of the Coronation Oath over the Medieval era. Some are outlined on this blog post from the British Library. Unfortunately the Oaths made by King Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III have not survived to the modern day, though there are some accounts of witnesses of these coronations.
Thomas Becket, Holy Oils, and Golden Eagles
As part of the Coronation ceremony the monarch is anointed with holy oils. Those oils have significance and have altered over the years. In the late medieval era the oil used for most ceremonies had a bond to St. Thomas Becket. Legend has it that the Virgin Mary gave Thomas Becket a Golden Eagle and a vial of oil with which to anoint future true Kings of England.
The Coronation: Legends and Legitimacy
The value of legends such as that of the Holy Oil to monarchs was great. King Henry IV made a point of using the famed oils as it held great value as a piece of propaganda to aide in his statement of legitimacy. It was further said by the Lancastrian regime that King Richard II had rediscovered the true oil in 1399 and that the church had refused to anoint him with it. A clear slur upon the legitimacy of King Richard II, with the fact that Henry was anointed with that oil added to show his right to rule as being ‘god given’.
See J. W. MCKENNA, The Coronation Oil of the Yorkist Kings, The English Historical Review, Volume LXXXII, Issue CCCXXII, January 1967, Pages 102–104, https://doi.org/10.1093/ehr/LXXXII.CCCXXII.102
Related: Richard II overthrown by Henry Bolingbroke in 1399
Anointed by God
The bond between the Crown and Church has always played a prominent part within the Coronation Ceremony. With the Reformation came the monarchs role as head of the Church of England. This manifested itself in the wording of the ceremony reflecting the ‘god given’ rights of the monarch. For Edward VI, for example, the wording stated that he, as King, was making his solemn Oath on the Bible by right of “those holy Evangelists by me bodily touched upon this holy altar.”
Coronation Oaths as a Contract?
In instances where a King was seen to be acted contrary to their solemn oaths, the peers of the realm had a history of intervening. This happened on numerous occasions in the post-Conquest medieval period.
- King John saw the Barony impose Magna Carta
- Edward II was overthrown
- Edward III in his later years saw Parliamentary intervention
- Richard II’s reign saw the Lord’s Appellant impose their will and Henry Bolingbroke overthrow him
- Henry IV faced plots and rebellion
- Henry VI saw his personal rule be replaced by Protectorships on two occasions, then his right to be King challenged by Richard 3rd duke of York, resulting in the Act of Accord, then him being ousted firstly in 1461 and again in 1471
- Edward IV faced revolts, then was overthrown in 1470-71, before reclaiming his throne
- Richard III faced rebellion, then invasion and his death in Battle
Holding a monarch to account
Whilst not all of these are entirely due to perceptions of the Coronation Oath being broken, they are all clear examples of some or large sections of, the peerage taking action to ensure that Kingship was implemented largely in accordance with the Coronation Oath. This ties in with the Peerage holding the monarch to account in respect of their adherence to documents such as Magna Carta.
By law and tradition we have a history of Kings being held to account by nobles if there was a perception [or argument ] of poor Kingship. At its most extreme, the peers sought to replace the King which was justified in relation to the manner of Kingship being employed, and through arguments of ‘right’ to the throne. Rebellion and plots identified either a fault in the monarchs behaviour, an alternative ‘rightful’ King, or both.
Coronation Oaths in the Modern World
The Oath sworn by monarchs in the Medieval era could alter from one coronation to the next. It later saw changes as a result of the Reformation and the Crowns role as being head of the Church of England following the split with Rome. Further changes took place as a result of the English Civil Wars of the 17th century. Lastly, the Oath was not only changed but enshrined into English Law as a result of the Glorious Revolution.
Legislation: Coronation Oath
In 1688 an Act of Parliament was introduced which stated the wording of the Coronation Oath. This Oath has largely remained unchanged since it entering English law. The alterations to it have reflected the changes to the monarch’s rule. For example, the union of England and Scotland resulted in changed terminology, as did the emergence of a British Empire, formation of the Commonwealth, and alterations to the exact designation of nations that were ruled by the monarch. So, for example, it changed as a result of nations leaving the Empite or Commonwealth if they chose to become Republics.
Challenges to the Oaths legality
The Coronation Oath is, however, largely the same as it was when enacted into Law. And this has led to some legal challenges to the legitimacy of the Coronation, and consequently the monarch who has been anointed. This resulted in legal judgements being made regarding the validity of a given Oath as recently as 2017. The Legal status of the Coronation Oath as it stands today and the alterations made since it was enacted into Law are outlined on the Parliamentary website. The Coronation Oath as it is set out in UK Law can be found here.
Coronation Oaths and Rolls: Links
Coronation Roll – official website. Covers the history of Coronation Rolls from their first use in 1308 through to that of King Charles III.
British Library Medieval Manuscripts Blog – Medieval Coronations.
Fourteenth Century Fiend. A King & His People: The Controversial Coronation of Edward II, 1308
English Heritage – History of the Coronation.
Featured Image
Henry VI enthroned in front of the joint arms of France and England, from the Talbot Shrewsbury Book: Royal MS 15 E VI, f. 405r