ABSTRACT
The decision to travel around the country was undertaken at a crucial juncture in the course of Charles's reign. Royal entries were an indispensable instrument of the Crown. During the course of the royal tour, Charles was confronted with myriad images, speeches and songs, which conveyed local expectations. This chapter examines the imagery used in connection with Charles and Catherine to uncover how their power was perceived. It explains how far this balance, or imbalance, was publicly acknowledged during a progress that sought to establish the authority of the king, and whether the entries provide an accurate reflection of Catherine's influence at the end of the first War of Religion. In the early stages of the progress, Catherine had been willing to appear in processions through the towns, as was traditional for prominent members of the court. Juxtaposition of old age and youth in this single body symbolised that Charles was young in years but old in wisdom.
