• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Language / Where does the term “Star Chamber” come from and What does Star chamber mean?

Where does the term “Star Chamber” come from and What does Star chamber mean?

May 14, 2020 by Karen Hill

Somewhat over five hundred years ago, the royal palace at Westminster contained an apartment which, it is presumed, was decorated with gilt stars upon the ceiling.

By virtue of its decoration, the room became known as the Starred or Star Chamber.

It was the practice of the reigning monarchs to hold special high courts of jurisdiction in this room, courts on which the king’s council sat as judges, and from which there was no appeal.

It is good politics, of course, for the king’s counselors to play along with the wishes of their sovereign, and the natural result was that this special court came to be used by the king for the exercise of tyranny.

The flagrant misuse of the power of the court became so great during the rule of James I and that of Charles I that, in 1641, the court was abolished by Act of Parliament.

But the notoriety of the court had become such that the phrase star-chamber court, or just star-chamber, was applied to any trial proceedings in which the defendant could expect nothing better than arbitrary and oppressive treatment, and in this sense the term continues to live today.

Related Facts

  • Where Is the North Star, What Is the Name of the North Star, and Will the North Star Always Be the Polestar?
  • What Is a Neutron Star, How Is a Neutron Star Created, and What Is the Mass of a Neutron Star?
  • What Are the Different Stages of a Star's Life and What Does a Star's Life Expectancy Depend On?
  • How Does a Star's Life End, How Do Stars Die, and What Determines If a Star Will Become a Black Hole?
  • How Is a Star's Declination Determined and How Do Astronomers Use Declination To Locate a Star In the Sky?
  • What Happens When a Star Becomes an Old Star and What Causes a Helium Flash In the Core of a Red Giant?
  • What is used as a pole star in the Southern Hemisphere where navigators can't see the North Star?
  • What Does the Term "A1 Condition" Mean and Where Did the Term Come From?
  • What Does the Term "Alma Mater" Mean and Where Did the Term Come From?
  • What Does the Term "Straw Boss" Mean and Where Did the Term For Work Supervisor Come From?
  • Where Did the Term "Noon Hour" Come From and What Did the Term For Midday Mean Originally?
  • What Is a Supernova, How Does a Star Become a Supernova, and What Does Supernova Mean In Latin?

Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Where does the word “Hogwash” come from and What does Hogwash mean?
Next Post: Where does the word “Twilight” come from and What does Twilight mean in German? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2021 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy