Charles II ministers + treatment

When was clarendon

1660-67

successes of Clarendon

* helped formulate the restoration settlement

main reasons for fall of Clarendon

* unpopular foreign policy
* failure to manage parliament effectively
* self aggrandisement
* personality

what was clarendon blamed for

* King’s marriage
* Dutch attack of Medway
* Great Fire of London
* Plague

2nd Anglo-Dutch war

1664-67

what caused 2nd Dutch war

* 1660 navigation act
* Charles believed it would be profitable

what happened in 2nd Anglo Dutch war that was blamed on clarendon?

1665 France and Denmark vs Dutch and England, in 4 days 10 ships sunk with 4k men lost and 2 admirals to which par blamed gov corruption and administration for its failure

1665 + 1666 Clarendon blamed for

Fire of London which burned down st Pauls, and Plague - Speculation was started by the Dutch which only fuelled criticism of the war

Medway incident

1667

what happened in the medway incident

* attack from dutch which stole equipment and towed *royal charles* flagship - extremely humiliating for English as were negotiating treaty with Dutch

Clarendon personality

Arrogant and self-righteous, character alienated the privy council

Clarendon’s position

* jealousy
* younger advisors like Buckingham/ Arlington felt he was a block to their own political advancement

Clarendon + Daughter

marriage to Duke of York brought speculation as self aggrandisement as they were supposed to marry foreign nobles

Clarendon fall : Restoration

Charles II blamed him for the crown’s shortage of money bc of the restoration settlement

Clarendon Fall : interp 1

* out of touch with the king
* believed should act like XIV
* Failed to keep mouth shut + criticized king
* king grew tired of him, court x want him
* didn’t see importance of making allies
* talent in court began to think clarendon a hinderance

interp 2 fall of clarendon

* couldn't control parliament
* fell folly for political disasters e.g. 2nd dutch war compared with cromwell’s successes with FP

using clarendon as a scapegoat

was good for charles as he avoided being the cause of grievances, to maintain good working relationships with parliament

Danby’s aims

* remain power
* focus on finance
* restore good relations btwn crown + par
* support high anglican policy (clarendon code)
* pro-dutch policy

court and country parties developed into

tories and whigs

country party

* court as catholic, un-english, corrupt
* c ii believed court was out of touch with rest of the nation

how did danby establish a court party

bribes, patronage and entertaining individuals himself (extended these divisions)

what did Danby do to try and prevent country opposition

pursued ‘cavalier’ policies

* support for High Anglican church and pursue clarendon code

Danby was unsuccessful in persuading C II

Anti-French policy

CABAL

1667-74

Which cabal members were catholic

Clifford and Arlington

why did the cabal fail

* never a dominant group
* trying to advance themselves - infighting and political intrigue was common