Essay 1 - Why did monarchical government fail in the years 1625-49

Paragraph 1 - Point 1

Charles’s repeated poor decisions converted financial and political tensions into constitutional crises that made parliamentary cooperation impossible

Paragraph 1 - Evidence 1

Charles demanded forced loan in 1626 - 5 knights didn’t pay and were imprisoned

Paragraph 1 - Judgement 1

Direct attack on law - Charles claimed the right to imprison without trial and tax without parliament - confirmed fears of tyranny at the start of his reign

Paragraph 1 - Evidence 2

Charles prepared a revised version of the Petition of Right in 1628 - asserted his right to collect taxes without parliamentary approval

Paragraph 1 - Judgement 2

Instead of accepting parliament’s attempt to reconcile, his response destroyed any chance of future cooperation

Although Charles feared the Petition limited royal prerogative, his refusal to compromise ensured the conflict would continue unresolved

Paragraph 1 - Evidence 3

1642, Charles entered the Commons with 300 soldiers to arrest opposition MPs like Pym and Hampden

Paragraph 1 - Judgement 3

Most destructive act of his reign - confirmed every suspciion of tryanny - made peaceful settlement unreachable

Paragraph 1 - Link

Significant, but Charles’s personal failings were amplified by deeper religious and constitutional tensions that made conflict likely, regardless of his decisions - Charles had every chance to compromise but he chose confrontation every time

Paragraph 2 - Point 2

The breakdown between crown and parliament was rooted in unresolved constitutional and religious tensions that predated Charles and made stable govt. difficult

Paragraph 2 - Evidence 1

Charles imposed the English Prayer Book and Book of Canons on Scotland in 1636-37, triggering riots and 2 Bishops’ wars which he couldn’t afford

Paragraph 2 - Judgement 1

Charles religious overreach created an unaffordable crisis that destroyed his rule - he was forced to recall parliament from a position of weakness - imposing religious uniformity on Scotland showed his misreading of their identity

Paragraph 2 - Evidence 2

The Long Parliament introduced the Triennial Act 1641, arrested Wentworth and Laud and executed Strafford via Act of Attainder

Paragraph 2 - Judgement 2

Systematically dismantled Charles’s personal rule - parliament used Charles’s weakness to limit royal power

Although many MPs wanted reform rather than revolution, Charles’s obstruction pushed moderates toward radicals

Paragraph 2 - Evidence 3

June 1642, parliament demanded major control over govt. such as influence over the king’s children

Paragraph 2 - Judgement 3

Peaceful compromise became unrealistic - parliament’s demands showed trust in Charles had collapsed - breakdown of constitutional framework

Paragraph 2 - Link

Structural and personal failures explain why war broke out - but army radicalisation made monarchical failure permanent rather than temporary

Paragraph 3 - Point 3

The Civil War led to the creation of the New Model Army, that made any return to stable monarchical govt. impossible

Paragraph 3 - Evidence 1

The New Model Army created in 1645 under Cromwell rapidly became an independent political force by pushing for expulsion of Presbyterian MPs in 1647

Paragraph 3 - Judgement 1

Parliament created a military force it could not stop - army was an independent political actor with its own demands - monarchical government replaced by military dominance
Although the army’s intervention was due to grievances about unpaid wages, its politicisation made any chance of settlement impossible

Paragraph 3 - Evidence 2

Charles’s escape and secret deal with Scotland in 1647 triggered the 2nd Civil War - confirming Charles could never be trusted again

Paragraph 3 - Judgement 2

Decisive moment that sealed Charles’s fate - he continued to manipulate rather than negotiate

Although Charles believed he was defending his divine right, his refusal to accept reality made execution inevitable

Paragraph 3 - Evidence 3

Pride’s Purge 1648 removed MPs who supported negotiation, creating the Rump Parliament - Charles was tried and executed in January 1749

Paragraph 3 - Judgement 3

Unprecedented as it wasn’t just Charles removed, it destroyed the ideological foundation of divine right monarchy - monarchical govt. failed practically and in principle as the army demonstrated kings could be held accountable and removed

Paragraph 3 - Link

Monarchical govt. failed because of a combination of Charles’s decisions and unresolved religious tensions - The politicisation of the army made restoration of the old order impossible