When Knighthood Was in Flower (play)

When Knighthood Was in Flower is a play in four acts by Paul Kester. It is based on the 1898 novel of the same name by Charles Major. The work premiered on Broadway at the Criterion Theatre on January 14, 1901. It ran for a total of 176 performances; closing in June 1901. The original production was produced by Charles Frohman and used sets by Ernest Albert, Frank E. Gates and Edward A. Morange. The costumes were designed by Mrs. Charles Hone and Harper Pennington. The cast was led by Bruce McRae as Charles Brandon and Julia Marlowe as Mary Tudor among others.

Theatre historian Ken Bloom, wrote that When Knighthood Was in Flower was "one of the most famous plays of the decade" and cited Marlowe's performance as a major critical triumph in that actress's career. Marlowe, however, was initially criticized for taking on a non-Shakespearean role as critics thought the work inferior to her usual repertoire. The play, however, was a huge popular and financial success for Marlowe and the show's producers both in New York and on national tour, and was subsequently revived on Broadway at the Empire Theatre in 1904.

The play was parodied in the musical The King's Carnival.