Charles 16251640

1
Charles 1625-1640
2
Parliament and Charles

• C needed 1m to fund the war with Spain
• 1st Parl met June 1625. C refused to explain his
  position.
• H of C granted 140,000 and tonnage and poundage
  (customs tax) for one year only not the kings
  lifetime this was against tradition.

3

• Parliamentary discontent as they felt the
  recusancy (anti-catholic) laws were not
  sufficiently implemented, led to C dissolving
  Parl in 1625.
• Buckingham was attacked in Parl because of his
  foreign policy failings impeachment was
  demanded (only then would parl give C most of the
  money he demanded - 300,000). C decided to
  protect his favourite by dissolving his 2nd Parl
  (1626).

4

• Cs reputation damaged by action he took without
  Parl - he issued a forced loan equivalent to 5
  subsidies (1627 Nov Five Knights Case upheld
  the kings right to imprison without trial those
  who didnt pay in this case).
• C also claimed he had the right to imprison
  people without giving any other cause except
  reasons of state.
• Also used ship money to gain revenue very
  unpopular.

5

• MPs drew up Petition of Right to protest
  against Cs activities Under threat of more
  proceedings against Buckingham, C agreed to the
  Petition C admits his actions have been illegal.
• Buckingham assassinated C loses ally (but also
  problem)
• But the Pet of R limited in what it included so C
  did not have to give up his right to raise money
  without Parls consent.

6

• C also in trouble for favours to Arminians
  (anti-Calvinists) - for example promoting Laud to
  Bishop of London 1628.
• Tensions increased between C and Parl and Parl
  was dissolved (1628).
• Do you understand what is meant by
  Arminianism?

7
Personal Rule 1629-40Eleven years of tyranny?
Absolute Monarchy? Temporary measure?
8
Religion

• J had maintained Es broad church via media
  - C and Laud were destroying it Puritans saw
  Laud as a Cath (although he wasnt) fears of
  Cath absolutism C did nothing to allay fears
  continued to side with the anti-Calvinists (and
  his wife was a Cath).

9

• William Laud in charge of the Church from 1628
  (archbishop 1633) - appointed bishops who would
  enforce his ideas
• to restore the beauty of holiness to church
  services ceremony and position of the altar etc
  this was seen to be very Cath by many.
• to raise the educational level of parish clergy
  and restore the power of the church (versus the
  gentry) - wanted to raise the status of the
  clergy to equal any gentleman in England.
  this angered the gentry further

10

• Laud was not RC but was not anti-RC. Did
  refuse a position offered by Pope but only
  because he objected to Rome as it is seen as
  a weak denunciation of the RC church. Laud also
  believed in the divine right (power of the
  monarch) and was very important to C during the
  period of Personal rule.

11

• Star Chamber and High Commission were royal
  courts (which Laud sat in) used to enforce
  Laudian policies seen as a way to attack the
  gentry.
• Famous example - Case of Burton, Prynne
  Bastwick 1637 - puritan pamphleteers gentlemen
  but treated like common criminals lost both
  ears, 5000 fine, pilloried, life imprisonment.

12
Finance

• C needed new ways of raising money because he was
  ruling without Parl.
• C made peace with France in 1630 and Spain in
  1631 Crown debts diminished in 1630s.

13

• Ship money extended coastal towns had been
  required to pay for ships (for protection against
  pirates). From 1635 this applied to all counties
  this was new to inland counties and it was a
  permanent tax for the first time (previously an
  emergency tax only) highly unpopular!
• Hampdens Case 1637 refused to pay ship money.
  Judges sided with C but only just.

• C raised money by
• Forest fines fines for living in royal forests
• Fines for distraint of knighthoods ie
  refusing them. They had been sold under James
  for 30 so many gentry felt they were not worth
  having
• Monopolies reappeared despite being abolished
  in 1624
• Plantations eg 1632 the City of London is fined
  for not finding Protestant families to move over
  to Ireland