Touching for the King's Evil: Difference between revisions
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Ceremony in which the monarch would touch people suffering from scrofula in order to heal them. | |||
Scrofula is a tuberculous swelling of the lymph glands that was called “The King’s Evil” because it was widely believed that the touch of the monarch was able to heal this particular disease. | Scrofula is a tuberculous swelling of the lymph glands that was called “The King’s Evil” because it was widely believed that the touch of the monarch was able to heal this particular disease. | ||
This belief dates from the time of [[Edward the Confessor]], who is said to have been the first monarch to heal people with the touch of his hands. | This belief dates from the time of [[Edward the Confessor]], who is said to have been the first monarch to heal people with the touch of his hands. | ||
From King [[Henry I]] onwards England’s monarchs claimed to have Edward’s abilities as a reaction to their rival Capetian King’s pronouncement of having divine healing powers. | From King [[Henry I]] onwards England’s monarchs claimed to have Edward’s abilities as a reaction to their rival Capetian King’s (associated with France) pronouncement of having divine healing powers. | ||
In England the ceremony used to be very formal. People suffering from scrofula would line up to be healed one after the other. The monarch would touch and stroke the sufferer’s throat while a cleric would read parts from the gospels (especially Mark 16: “They shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover”). | In England the ceremony used to be very formal. People suffering from scrofula would line up to be healed one after the other. The monarch would touch and stroke the sufferer’s throat while a cleric would read parts from the gospels (especially Mark 16: “They shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover”). Usually, coins were handed out afterwards to be worn as a charm or amulet (so-called "Angels", because they featured an image of the archangel Michael). The ceremony usually ended with a formal washing of hands. | ||
One of the most dedicated and “the most successful miracle-working king” was [[Charles II]], who is said to have touched | One of the most dedicated and “the most successful miracle-working king” (Strong 280) was [[Charles II]], who is said to have touched about 100,000 people between 1660 and 1685. | ||
However, not all monarchs performed the ritual of Touching for the King’s Evil. [[James I]] disliked it.[[Queen Anne]] reintroduced the procedure after some time and touched 200 sick people in 1712. One of them allegedly was the young [[Samuel Johnson]]. | However, not all monarchs performed the ritual of Touching for the King’s Evil. [[James I]] disliked it. So did [[William III|William of Orange]]. Queen [[Anne I]] reintroduced the procedure after some time and touched 200 sick people in 1712. One of them allegedly was the young [[Samuel Johnson]]. | ||
[[ | [[George I]] did not continue it. The [[Jacobites]] took this as a sign that the usurper did no longer have the power but that it went to the (in their opinion) rightful monarchs – the exiled [[Stuarts]]. [[James Francis Edward Stuart|James Edward]], [[Charles Edward Stuart|Bonnie Prince Charlie]] and [[Henry Benedict Stuart|Henry, Cardinal of York]] all touched for the King's Evil to bolster their claim to the throne. The practice died out with the last Stuart in 1807 (Bloch 419). | ||
== Sources == | |||
Bloch, Marc. ''Die wundertätigen Könige''. München: C.H. Beck, 1998. | |||
Cannon, John. ''The Oxford Companion to British History''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997. | |||
Cannon,John. ''The Oxford Companion to British History''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997. | |||
Cannon, John. ''The Kings and Queens of Britain''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. | Cannon, John. ''The Kings and Queens of Britain''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. | ||
"king's evil." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2010. Web. 10 May 2010 <http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article-9045541>. | "king's evil." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2010. Web. 10 May 2010 <http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article-9045541>. | ||
Strong, Roy. ''Coronation''. London-New York: Harper, 2005. | |||
Latest revision as of 09:58, 16 November 2016
Ceremony in which the monarch would touch people suffering from scrofula in order to heal them. Scrofula is a tuberculous swelling of the lymph glands that was called “The King’s Evil” because it was widely believed that the touch of the monarch was able to heal this particular disease. This belief dates from the time of Edward the Confessor, who is said to have been the first monarch to heal people with the touch of his hands.
From King Henry I onwards England’s monarchs claimed to have Edward’s abilities as a reaction to their rival Capetian King’s (associated with France) pronouncement of having divine healing powers.
In England the ceremony used to be very formal. People suffering from scrofula would line up to be healed one after the other. The monarch would touch and stroke the sufferer’s throat while a cleric would read parts from the gospels (especially Mark 16: “They shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover”). Usually, coins were handed out afterwards to be worn as a charm or amulet (so-called "Angels", because they featured an image of the archangel Michael). The ceremony usually ended with a formal washing of hands. One of the most dedicated and “the most successful miracle-working king” (Strong 280) was Charles II, who is said to have touched about 100,000 people between 1660 and 1685.
However, not all monarchs performed the ritual of Touching for the King’s Evil. James I disliked it. So did William of Orange. Queen Anne I reintroduced the procedure after some time and touched 200 sick people in 1712. One of them allegedly was the young Samuel Johnson.
George I did not continue it. The Jacobites took this as a sign that the usurper did no longer have the power but that it went to the (in their opinion) rightful monarchs – the exiled Stuarts. James Edward, Bonnie Prince Charlie and Henry, Cardinal of York all touched for the King's Evil to bolster their claim to the throne. The practice died out with the last Stuart in 1807 (Bloch 419).
Sources
Bloch, Marc. Die wundertätigen Könige. München: C.H. Beck, 1998.
Cannon, John. The Oxford Companion to British History. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997.
Cannon, John. The Kings and Queens of Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.
"king's evil." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2010. Web. 10 May 2010 <http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article-9045541>.
Strong, Roy. Coronation. London-New York: Harper, 2005.