Mercurius Aulicus facts for kids
The Mercurius Aulicus was a very important early newspaper in England. It became famous during the English Civil War because it helped spread the ideas of the Royalists. This was a way for them to share their side of the story and influence people.
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How Mercurius Aulicus Started
The Mercurius Aulicus newspaper began during the English Civil War. A main advisor to King Charles I, named George Digby, suggested it. He thought the Royalists, also known as Cavaliers, needed a way to share their opinions in London. At that time, London was controlled by Parliament.
So, the newspaper started in January 1643. It was sometimes called a newsbook. This was another name for weekly news publications that were printed in a small, book-like size.
Who Made the Newspaper?
John Birkenhead, a smart person from All Souls College in Oxford, became the editor. He received updates about events from George Digby's contacts across the country. However, his friend Peter Heylin seemed to do most of the actual writing and editing.
The Mercurius Aulicus was printed in Oxford. During the war, Oxford was the Royalist capital. Each copy cost a penny. People then secretly brought the newspapers into London. There, local women sold them, often for much higher prices. Sometimes, people in London who supported the Royalists would even print their own copies. These copies were not always exactly the same as the originals.
If it was impossible to print a copy for a few weeks, Birkenhead would leave gaps in the page numbers. He would also skip issue numbers. This made it look like readers had just missed a copy that had been delivered somewhere else.
How Mercurius Aulicus Changed News
The Mercurius Aulicus is seen as one of England's most important early newspapers. It completely changed how news was shared. It introduced the idea of using popular journalism as a political tool. This meant using newspapers to divide people's opinions and get them to support a certain side.
Before the Mercurius, newspapers usually just reported facts. They tried not to comment on current events. But the Mercurius was different. It openly supported the strong Royalist views. It would even make fun of and insult its opponents. This was a very new way of reporting news back then.
The End of Mercurius Aulicus
The newspaper started to struggle from 1644 onwards. The Royalists began losing more battles. This made it harder for the Oxford-based newspaper to get up-to-date news. Issues became very delayed. The Mercurius Aulicus finally stopped publishing in 1645.
