Ascesa e “decadenza” politica di un favorito regio nell’Inghilterra giacobita: George Villiers, primo duca di Buckingham (1592-1628)

Facing with an evaluation of main contemporary theories, concerning the figure of the royal favourite in the context of early modern Europe, and in particular with the works of J. Elliott, F. Beningno, I.A.A. Thompson and A. Feros, this research is focus on the political career of George Villiers (1592-1628), first duke of Buckingham and royal favourite in the early Stuart England. Beginning with an analysis of the political and institutional context of the reign of James I Stuart, this study tries to establish the institutional origins of the figure of the royal favourite. In this context, it seems crucial the development of a political theory concerning royal absolutism and the necessity for the English monarch, facing with the traditional prerogative of royal bounty and the petitions of many suitors, to maintain this new perception of his power, using the favourite to manage this prerogative. This point of view is reinforce through the study of the economical and social conditions of England in the first part of XVII century. The study of the political career of Villiers, infact, testifies the monopoly of bounty, used by the favourite, through a complex system of political clients and supporters, to gain a position of preeminence in the context of the struggle for power of the factions, in the court of James I and Charles I. At the same time, his private use of a royal prerogative is the first reason of the political opposition of the English Parliament of 1625 and 1626, in which the power of the favourite is put in jeopardize through a parliamentary procedure of impeachment. The monopoly of the royal counsel and of the prerogative of bounty determined, for the nobility, a deep subversion of the Ancient English Constitution, in which there was a strict connection between the power of monarch to reward his subjects and royal servants and the abilities and professional skills of those who received honors, offices and pensions.