Editing Hampton Court Palace (section)

===Stuarts and early Hanoverians===
[[File:HamptonCurt.jpg|thumb|[[Christopher Wren]]'s south front (''G on plan''), built for [[William III of England|William III]] and [[Mary II]], viewed from the Privy Garden]]
On the death of Elizabeth I in 1603, the Tudor period came to an end. The Queen was succeeded by her first cousin-twice-removed, [[James VI and I|James I]] of the [[House of Stuart]], an event known as the [[Union of the Crowns]].<ref>[[Susan Doran]], ''From Tudor to Stuart: The Regime Change from Elizabeth I to James I'' (Oxford University Press, 2024), pp. 12–14.</ref>

Two entertainments for the Stuart court were staged in the Great Hall in January 1604, ''[[The Masque of Indian and China Knights]]'' and ''[[The Vision of the Twelve Goddesses]]''.<ref>Martin Butler, ''The Stuart Court Masque and Political Culture'' (Cambridge, 2008), p. 63.</ref> On 6 January, Scottish courtiers performed a [[Scottish sword dances|sword dance]] for [[Anne of Denmark]]. Their dance was compared to a Spanish ''[[Matachines|matachin]]''.<ref>Maurice Lee, ''Dudley Carleton to John Chamberlain, 1603–1624'' (Rutgers UP, 1972), pp. 53–54.</ref> Later in 1604, the palace was the site of King James' meeting with representatives of the English [[Puritans]], known as the [[Hampton Court Conference]]; while an agreement with the Puritans was not reached, the meeting led to James's commissioning of the [[King James Version]] of the [[Bible]].<ref name="Thurley, P10">Thurley, p. 10.</ref>

King James was succeeded in 1625 by his son, the ill-fated [[Charles I of England|Charles I]]. Hampton Court was to become both his palace and his prison.<ref name="Thurley, P10"/> It was also the setting for his honeymoon with his fifteen-year-old bride, [[Henrietta Maria]] in 1625.<ref name="Williams, P52"/> Following King Charles' execution in 1649, the palace became the property of the [[Commonwealth of England|Commonwealth]] presided over by [[Oliver Cromwell]]. Unlike some other former royal properties, the palace escaped relatively unscathed. While the government auctioned much of the contents, the building was ignored.<ref>Thurley, p. 11.</ref>
[[File:British School, 17th century - Charles II (^) leaving Hampton Court - RCIN 402006 - Royal Collection.jpg|thumb|[[Charles II of England|Charles II]] leaving Hampton Court]]
After the [[English Restoration|Restoration]], King [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] and his successor [[James II of England|James II]] visited Hampton Court but largely preferred to reside elsewhere. By current French court standards, Hampton Court now appeared old-fashioned. It was in 1689, shortly after [[Louis XIV]]'s court had moved permanently to [[Palace of Versailles|Versailles]], that the palace's antiquated state was addressed. England had joint monarchs, [[William III of England|William III]] and [[Mary II of England|Mary II]]. Within months of their accession, they embarked on a massive rebuilding project at Hampton Court. The intention was to demolish the Tudor palace a section at a time while replacing it with a huge modern palace in the Baroque style retaining only Henry VIII's Great Hall.<ref name="Summerson, P16">Summerson, p. 16.</ref>

[[File:Hampton Court Palace, Great Hall - Diliff.jpg|thumb|left|The [[hammerbeam roof]] of the Great Hall of Hampton Court Palace]]The country's most eminent architect, Sir [[Christopher Wren]], was called upon to draw the plans, while the master of works was to be [[William Talman (architect)|William Talman]]. The plan was for a vast palace constructed around two courtyards at right angles to each other. Wren's design for a domed palace bore resemblances to the work of [[Jules Hardouin-Mansart]] and [[Louis Le Vau]], both architects employed by Louis XIV at Versailles.<ref name="Summerson, P16" /> It has been suggested, though, that the plans were abandoned because the resemblance to Versailles was too subtle and not strong enough; at this time, it was impossible for any sovereign to visualise a palace that did not emulate Versailles' repetitive Baroque form.<ref>This is the stated opinion of Sir John Summerson. Summerson, p. 19.</ref> However, the resemblances are there: while the façades are not so long as those of Versailles, they have similar, seemingly unstoppable repetitive rhythms beneath a long flat skyline. The monotony is even repeated as the façade turns the corner from the east to the south fronts. However, Hampton Court, unlike Versailles, is given an extra dimension by the contrast between the pink brick and the pale [[Portland stone]] quoins, frames and banding.<ref name="Dynes, P95">Dynes, p. 95.</ref> Further diversion is added by the circular and decorated windows of the second-floor mezzanine. This theme is repeated in the inner Fountain Court, but the rhythm is faster and the windows, unpedimented on the outer façades, are given pointed pediments in the courtyard; this has led the courtyard to be described as "Startling, as of simultaneous exposure to a great many eyes with raised eyebrows."<ref name="Summerson, P19">Summerson, p. 19.</ref>

[[File:Hampton-Court-E.jpg|thumb|The Fountain Court designed by Sir Christopher Wren (''E on plan''): "Startling, as of simultaneous exposure to a great many eyes with raised eyebrows"<ref name="Summerson, P19" />]]
During this work, half the Tudor palace was replaced and Henry VIII's staterooms and private apartments were both lost; the new wings around the Fountain Court contained new state apartments and private rooms, one set for the King and one for the Queen. Each suite of state rooms was accessed by a state staircase. The royal suites were of completely equal value in order to reflect William and Mary's unique status as joint sovereigns.<ref name="Williams, p. 54">Williams, p. 54.</ref> The King's Apartments face south over the Privy Garden, the Queen's east over the Fountain Garden. The suites are linked by a gallery running the length of the east façade, another reference to Versailles, where the King and Queen's apartments are linked by the [[Hall of Mirrors]]. However, at Hampton Court, the linking gallery is of more modest proportions and decoration. The King's staircase was decorated with [[fresco]]s by [[Antonio Verrio]] and delicate ironwork by [[Jean Tijou]].<ref>Dynes, p. 94.</ref> Other artists commissioned to decorate the rooms included [[Grinling Gibbons]], Sir [[James Thornhill]] and [[Jacques Rousseau (painter)|Jacques Rousseau]]; furnishings were designed by [[Daniel Marot]].<ref>The furnishing was discussed by Tessa Murdoch, "The furniture for the King's Apartments: 'Walnuttree' gilding, [[japanning]] and marble", ''Apollo'' '''140''' (August 1994) pp. 55–60.</ref>

After the death of Queen Mary, King William lost interest in the renovations, and work ceased. However, it was in [[Hampton Court Park]] in 1702 that he fell from his horse, later dying from his injuries at [[Kensington Palace]]. He was succeeded by his sister-in-law Queen [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain|Anne]] who continued the decoration and completion of the state apartments. On Queen Anne's death in 1714 the [[House of Stuart]]'s rule came to an end.

Queen Anne's successor was [[George I of Great Britain|George I]]; he and his son [[George II of Great Britain|George II]] were the last monarchs to reside at Hampton Court.<ref name="Dynes, P90"/> Under George I six rooms were completed in 1717 to the design of [[John Vanbrugh]].<ref name="thurley">Thurley, Simon (2003). ''Hampton Court: A Social and Architectural History''. p. 255.</ref> Under George II and his wife, [[Caroline of Ansbach]], further refurbishment took place, with the architect [[William Kent]] employed to design new furnishings and décor including the Queen's Staircase, (1733)<ref name="sthurley">Thurley, Simon (2003). ''Hampton Court: A Social and Architectural History''. p. 279.</ref> and the Cumberland Suite (1737) for the [[Prince William, Duke of Cumberland|Duke of Cumberland]].<ref name="sthurley"/> Today, the Queen's Private Apartments are open to the public.