Personal Rule and Finance

• Charles had debt of £2 million

  1629
• There was the continuous problem of raising revenue and cutting expenditure
• Savings achieved


  1. Securing peace with France and Spain through the Treaties of Susa and Madrid

  2. Weston's reform of court finance
• Leaving the Thirty Years War was disagreed on for puritans
• Reduction of court costs alienated some members of the political nation
• Fiscal feudalism

  Combination of legal and military customs in medieval Europe
• Recusancy fines

  • Income rose from imposing fines on Catholics
  • Nobody objected
• Wardships

  • The crown had the right to run any estate inherited by an heir under 21
  • Income increased by a third
  • But so did opposition
• Monopolies

  • Found a loophole to grant them, particularly to group of Catholics (Popish Soap)
  • Earned Charles £33,000
• Custom duties

  • Continued to collect tonnage and poundage
• Knighthood

  • Forced people who made over £40 a year to pay for a knighthood
  • Earned Charles £175,000
• Royal forest rights

  • Claimed all forests belonged to the crown
  • This caused riots because a lot of people relied on the lands for a living
• Land titles

  • Fines imposed on those who rented land from the crown but lacked a clear title to the land
• Enclosure fines

  • Fines imposed on those who had illegally closed off common land
• SHIP MONEY 1634

  • A tax of medieval times, it was only for people who lived near coastal areas for emergencies like war however, Charles made everyone pay it in 1634 many were displeased about this. It raised £200,000
• SOVERIEGN OF THE SEAS - 1634

  A strong navy would allow for an extension of English power into the north sea and help deter pirates

  It would also be impressive and limit Dutch power

  • It was not built but was an attempt to get better reputation for the king