Anyway, besides my slow but steady progress, there's not much else to update you on! This week, I decided to talk about a man from James, Duke of York's house. So, I'd like you all to give a warm welcome to Charles Berkeley, retired, professional basketball player!
No wait...that's Charles Barkley. Okay, this is Sir Charles Berkeley, Earl of Falmouth.
Sir Charles Berkeley was baptized in January 1630. His family was strongly royalist during the civil wars and afterwards, he was sent to serve the exiled Stuart court. In 1652 his uncle, Sir John Berkeley, used his influence as governor to James, Duke of York to get Charles a commission as a cavalry officer under his command. Charles remained in James's employment until the Restoration. He then became his groom of the stole and apparently a great friend as well! In 1660 he returned to England with James who ensured Berkeley several honors from his brother, who was now Charles II, newly restored to the throne. Charles Berkeley received a knighthood, the post of lieutenant-governor of Portsmouth, and the receipts from mooring fees levied on the Thames, which provided him with the income he needed to purchase a house. It comes as no surprise that Charles bought a house beside Whitehall since he was so close to James. In 1661, James secured his election as MP for New Romney, Kent.
While all of this sounds rather nice, there was some scandal involved with Sir Charles Berkeley. He claimed to have enjoyed the "favors" of James of York's new wife, Anne Hyde, in an effort to dissolve the marriage. The marriage was considered to be a disaster by many and Charles hoped to defame Anne's father, the king's new chief minister. Though Charles claimed it as an attempt to protect his patron, it was considered quite tactless in the court. However, James didn't seem to mind and this had little effect on Charles's relationship with James or even with Charles II. I guess Anne really wasn't favored too highly. Charles went on to marry a woman he loved, despite her coming from an impoverished royal family. Apparently a famous beauty, Mary Bagot was married to Charles Berkeley on December 18, 1664.
While at court, Berkeley became associated with the faction led by George Digby, second earl of Bristol and Sir Henry Bennet. He was also apparently friendly with the king's current mistress, Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine. In 1662, the faction led by Digby became an important part of the government, enabling Berkeley to become keeper of the privy purse for this faction. I guess Charles had a way with important men in the royal family, for people began to notice that he was one of the favorites of King Charles II himself. In 1663 he was raised to the Irish peerage as Baron Berkeley of Rathdowne and Viscount Fitzhardinge of Berehaven. Then, in March 1665 he was given the English titles Baron Botetourt of Langport and Earl of Falmouth as part of the honors designated when war was declared against the Dutch. Unfortunately, Sir Charles Berkeley's life was to be cut tragically short. He volunteered for service in the royal fleet and was killed by a cannon shot in the first battle on June 3rd, 1665. On June 22 he was given a hero's funeral in Westminster Abbey. His English barony and earldom became extinct after his death, for he only had a single daughter with Mary.
It is said that King Charles was more upset by Charles's death than by anyone else and it is almost certain that he would have received even further advancement if he had lived longer than 35. However, it is strange that one so favorable with both King Charles and James, Duke of York would be mentioned so little. He is not recorded much at all, nor is he known for anything such as great intelligence or good looks. He never had a high political office, he simply ran diplomatic errands much of the time. He had no real political aims, except maybe that he fooled around with Anne Hyde. So why write about him?
Charles is fascinating because he had such a close relationship with two very important members of the royal court, yet he is known for very little. Even still, Charles HAD to be special in some way. I imagine there must have been something rather charismatic about him if he was able to befriend a duke and a king. He was a devoted servant and apparently a great companion as well. I wanted to write about Charles because I feel as if I can sense all the important information that is missing about him. What was his personality like? Why was his so highly favored among Charles II and James? Was he a great friend? Husband? These are things I most likely will never find out, but the basis Charles's personality is there. He is yet another person in history who was important in the lives of prominent people, yet we know nothing about him ourselves. Yet, it is people like Charles who make up the backbone of historical figures. He was important to Charles II and James and may have shaped their lives in ways that will never be known. That is why I think it is important to know about a man such as Charles Berkeley, even if it is not much. He may not have been a king or a duke, but he still has a historical presence and I think it is important to recognize that. After all, kings and dukes are fun to learn about but they certainly did not make up the bulk of society.
Ronald Hutton, ‘Berkeley, Charles, earl of Falmouth (bap. 1630, d. 1665)’, rev. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/37185, accessed 13 Nov 2016]
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