The art of ruling as a king; the skilful exercise of royalty; esp. the use of clever or crafty diplomacy in dealing with subjects.
[1650. Weldon, Crt. Jas. I., 102. Nor must I forget to let you know how perfect the King [Jas. I.] was in the art of dissimulation, or to give it his own phrase (King-craft).]
1643. Prynne, Sov. Power Parl., II. 34. In this dissembling age; when King-craft is improved to the utmost.
1677. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, IV. 4. Solomon was endowed with this natural sagacitie … which kind of sagacitie Politicians cal King-craft.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), III. xviii. 376. The king-craft and the priest-craft of the day taught other lessons.
1874. Green, Short Hist., viii. § 7. 534. With Charles they were simply counters, in his game of king-craft.
