Star Chamber

The Star Chamber was an English court of law at the royal Palace of Westminster that began sessions in 1487 and ended them in 1641 when the court itself was abolished. The court was so named because the court chamber had a pattern of stars on a dark blue background painted on its ceiling.

Under James I and Charles I

The power of the Court of Star Chamber grew considerably under the House of Stuart, and by the time of Charles I of England it had become synonomous with misuse and abuse of power by the king and his circle. James I of England and his son Charles used the court to examine cases of sedition, which meant that the court could be used to suppress opposition to royal policies. It came to be used to try nobles too powerful to be brought to trial in the lower courts.

Related Topics:
House of Stuart - Charles I of England - James I of England

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Court sessions were held in secret, with no indictments, no right of appeal, no juries, and no witnesses. Evidence was presented in writing. Charles I used the Court of Star Chamber as a sort of Parliamentary substitute during the Eleven Years Tyranny when he refused to call Parliament.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On 17 October 1632, the Court of Star Chamber banned all "news books" over complaints from Spain and Austrian diplomats that coverage of the Thirty Years' War in English newspapers was unfair. Newspapers had to be printed in Amsterdam and then smuggled into the country until the ban was lifted six years later.

Related Topics:
17 October - 1632 - Spain - Austria - Diplomat - Thirty Years' War - Newspaper - Amsterdam

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Charles I made extensive use of the Court of Star Chamber to prosecute dissenters, including the Puritans who fled to New England.

Related Topics:
Puritans - New England

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~