Politics

• Charles I and parliament

  1625-88
• Charles I called three parliaments in 1625-29


  To secure finance for his foreign policy
• Charles' relationship with parliament had rapidly deteriorated


  Trust broke down over the interrelated issues of religion, foreign policy, finance and problems of government
• Religion


  • Charles' religious policy created political tension
  • Charles' open support for Arminianism, a form of Protestantism, alienated the majority of the political class
• Charles' support for Arminianism


  • Promoting the Arminian Richard Montagu to his royal chaplain
  • Allowing the Duke of Buckingham to state his favour for Arminianism
  • Making the Arminian William Laud the Bishop of London
• Foreign policy


  • Charles' foreign policy was a failure
  • Parliament's anger was directed against the king's favourite, the Duke of Buckingham
• Charles sought to finance foreign policy


  He needed to raise additional income through taxation, which needed parliamentary approval
• In 1625 parliament agreed to two subsidies amounting to 140,000, which was well short of the £1 million Charles needed
• When short of funds, Charles dissolved parliament


  He sought other means of raising income, including levying a forced loan worth five subsidies
• Five knights who refused to pay the forced loan


  Were imprisoned and refused bail, which was seen as a clear indication of Charles' absolutist intentions
• The Petition of Right, 1628


  1. There should be no taxation without the consent of parliament

  2. There should be no imprisonment without cause shown

  3. There should be no billeting of soldiers or sailors upon householders against their will

  4. There should be no martial law to punish ordinary offences by sailors or soldiers
• Charles accepted the Petition of Right, but his written reply did not use the traditional form of words and thus denied the Petition lawful status
• The Three Resolutions of 2 March 1629 denounced Arminianism and encouraged merchants to refuse to pay tonnage and poundage
• On 30 March 1629 Charles announced the dissolution of parliament and embarked upon eleven years of Personal Rule
• Personal Rule, 1629-40


  • Charles sought to secure his financial position so that he would not have to recall parliament
  • The key source of income for Charles was Ship Money, which proved very successful
• John Hampden challenged the legality of Ship Money


  His trial became a test case, which was upheld by seven of the 12 judges hearing the case
• Religion


  • Charles continued to impose Arminianism through William Laud, who was appointed as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633
  • The key measures of Laudianism focused on the 'beauty of holiness' through the wearing of vestments and the use of candles and altar cloth
• Initially, there was little opposition to Laudianism, with only a minority of more radical Puritans protesting
• Scotland - Bishops' War


  • In 1637 Charles decided to impose the Laudian Prayer Book on Presbyterian Scotland, without consulting the Scottish parliament
  • Widespread rioting broke out and in 1638 many nobles and clergy signed the National Covenant, vowing to resist all changes to the Scottish Kirk
• In 1640 Charles called a parliament to finance an army to crush the Scots


  The Short Parliament only lasted three weeks before it was dissolved by Charles
• The lack of finance undermined Charles' attack against the Scottish forces


  In August 1640 the Scots invaded northern England and occupied Newcastle
• Charles was forced to negotiate with the Scots and agreed they could keep Newcastle until a settlement was reached
• In September 1640 writs were sent out to summon the Long Parliament
• Division and the drift towards civil war, 1640-49


  • MPs were united against what they perceived as the abuses of Charles' Personal Rule
  • Divisions among MPs began to emerge over issues like the Root and Branch Petition, the Bill of Attainder, and the Militia Bill
• The reaction to Pym and his supporters became known as constitutional royalism, a term for moderates prepared to support the king as a source of order and stability
• The coming of the Civil War, January-August 1642


  1. Charles tried to arrest his five leading parliamentary opponents

  2. The Commons and Lords passed the Militia Bill taking away the king's right to control his army

  3. In June 1642 the Commons presented the Nineteen Propositions, which suggested parliament was not seriously intending to negotiate with the king

  4. In July parliament voted to raise an army under the Earl of Essex

  5. In August Charles raised his standard in Nottingham and declared war on parliament
• At the outbreak of the war, Charles was in a strong position, with the support of most of the nobility and gentry, and many royalist generals who were professional soldiers
• There should be sweeping reform of the church
• Parliament should supervise the upbringing and marriage of Charles' children
• The severity of the Propositions suggested that parliament was not seriously intending to negotiate with the king
• Attempts at compromise had broken down, and in July parliament voted to raise an army under the leadership of the Earl of Essex
• In August Charles raised his standard in Nottingham and declared war on parliament
• Charles was in a strong position at the outbreak of the war
• The first major battle of the war, at Edgehill in Warwickshire, did not give either side a clear victory
• Royalist forces were held up at Turnham Green by a large band of volunteers who prevented the royalists from taking London
• Parliament's control of the navy thwarted the royalist three-pronged attack on London
• Parliament's control of superior finances and resources began to turn the tide of war in its favour
• In 1643 the Scots had concluded the Solemn League and Covenant, promising military help from the Scottish army
• The second major battle of the war, and the largest ever fought on English soil, took place at Marston Moor in Yorkshire and was a comprehensive victory for the parliamentary forces
• The Self-Denying Ordinance led to all members of parliament resigning their military commands and being replaced by generals of proven military ability