Charles I (1625-1649)

1. Charles I (1625-1649) Parliament, Church, Foreign Policy & Civil War

2. “A mild and gracious prince who knew not how to be or be made great”—William Laud on Charles I • Historians agree that fractures with Parliament were normal and note that Charles survived them initially. • The Civil War was a function of Charles’ Personality and religiously-based fears,which Charles’ polices antagonized • Charles was a deeply pious, reserved man, who loved order; a poor communicator, who believed he never need explain himself.

3. Spiral of Suspicion • Neither King nor Parliament wanted or benefited from Civil War • Charles told Parliament that he would give no relief to Catholics when he married Herietta Maria, but he promised her that he would (He disappointed both parties). • Parliament therefore refused to keep funding the war with Spain, although it directed its ire at Buckingham

4. Henrietta Maria

5. A Downward Spiral • War with Spain went badly and then Charles blundered into war with France • Successfully removed early critics from Parliament, but these were replaced by John Pym, Edward Coke, and John Eliot, who rejected Charles’ collection of taxes without parliamentary consent • Parliament passes Petition of Right in 1628. Buckingham was murdered by a naval officer. • Pym branded Charles’ advisors “Capital Enemies” in 1629 before Charles dismissed Parliament. It would not meet again until 1640

6. Petition of Right They do therefore humbly pray your most excellent Majesty, that no man hereafter be compelled to make or yield any gift, loan, benevolence, tax, or such like charge, without common consent by act of parliament; and that none be called to make answer, or take such oath, or to give attendance, or be confined, or otherwise molested or disquieted concerning the same or for refusal thereof; and that no freeman, in any such manner as is before mentioned, be imprisoned or detained; and that your Majesty would be pleased to remove the said soldiers and mariners, and that your people may not be so burdened in time to come; and that the aforesaid commissions, for proceeding by martial law, may be revoked and annulled; and that hereafter no commissions of like nature may issue forth to any person or persons whatsoever to be executed as aforesaid, lest by color of them any of your Majesty's subjects be destroyed or put to death contrary to the laws and franchise of the land.

7. Stupid Stumbling • Charles lasted eleven years without Parliament (only blunders made him convene another) • Thomas Wentworth and William Laud directed policy for Charles • Laud and Wentworth collected taxes without Parliamentary consent; Wentworth brought order to Ireland, but in a brutal fashion. • But Parliamentary opposition to W. and L. was weak and disorganized.

8. Wentworth (Earl of Stratford) and Laud (Archbishop of Canterbury)

9. Laud’s Religious Policies • Crypto-Catholic who pursued high church Anglicanism and demanded uniformity • It looked like popery to the English and the Scots • Charles supported Laud’s religious policies in Scotland and the Scots rebelled in 1637 • Twice Charles tried to suppress Scots and failed; in 1640 they invaded England • With Treasury empty and no one responding to his request for Loans, Charles had to convene Parliament

10. Short Parliament • Title tells it all • John Pym demanded reform of Church and State—including dismal of Laud—before Parliament would vote a farthing. • Charles prorogued Parliament

11. Long Parliament • Scots demand 850 Ł per day until peace settlement is finalized • Parliament summoned and Charles gave in to demands • May 1641—Triennial Act; Act Preventing Parliament’s Dissolution w/o Consent; Tunnage and Poundage forbidden w/o Parliament’s consent; All feudal taxes forbidden w/o Parliament’s consent; Court of Star Chamber abolished; Wentworth and Laud sentenced to death

12. John Pym

13. Still it took Charles to bring on war • The Spiral of Suspicion bore fruit—everyone knew Charles would renege on Constitutional reforms at first chance. • Reforms gained life of their own—Episcopacy abolished, military command appointments had to be inspected by Parliament. • Naturally the Irish rebelled. • January 4, 1642—Charles failed in an attempt to arrest Pym and other Parliamentary leaders • June 1642—Parliament sent Charles the 19 Propositions; Charles declared Parliament in Rebellion on August 27, 1642.

14. Civil War—First Phase • London remained with Parliament; Charles had support in north and west. • Parliament had to build forces from scratch—began to develop New Model Army • Parliament made peace with Scots in 1643 • New Model Army under Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell—regular pay, disciplined men, promotion on Merit. • March 1645—New Model Army routs Cavaliers at Naseby and Charles surrendered to Scots in May 1646.

15. Cromwell – “Trust in God, Boys, but keep your powder dry.”

16. Civil War—Second Phase • Once Revolutions start—it’s difficult to control them • Diggers and Levellers want freedom of conscience and economic justice • Some in Parliament fear for their property and position—cut deal with Charles and Scots. • New Model Army purged Parliament in December 1648 (Pride’s Purge) • House of Commons claims executive power and executes Charles on January 30, 1649. • House of Lords abolished the following week.

17. Crowther’s crazy conclusions: (another awful alliteration) Charles was a better martyr than a king. Rump Parliament and Army now have to duel for supremacy. New Model Army still has Irish Rebellion and much religiously-driven social disorder to deal with. What will be the new nature of sovereignty? Force? Myth?