2 Charles I and the Civil Wars (1625-1649)

Charles’s views on monarchy were the main reason for political division in the years 1629 to 1649 – assess the validity of this view

• Personal rule to execution of charles I

• Something had to have happened to increase tensions so much that he gets executed (no suspicion in 1646/7 that it would ever happen)

Parliamentary opposition; his belief in the divine right

• He saw criticism as a direct attack on his authority

• refused compromise

• defended his prerogative rigidly, provoking opposition.

What was the significance of the 1629 Declaration of March?

• It marked the start of the Personal Rule and accused radical MPs of causing division, showing Charles's unwillingness to work with Parliament.

Why did he recall parl and what happened

• Bishops war

• rigid and defensive of his prerogative handling of the Short and Long Parliaments - inability to work cooperatively.

How did Charles’ political communication style contribute to division?

• didn't engage in political communication (1629-49) - failed to use the court through 1630s

• failed attempt to arrest five MPs in 1642 during the Five Members Coup.

How did Charles show reluctance to take advice from his own councils?

He ignored or dismissed advisors who tried to negotiate with Parliament, showing a rigid, isolated approach to ruling.

What were the heads of proposals 1647 and how did Charles I act

• A peace plan presented by Cromwell and the Army to settle the Civil War and reform government.

• He failed to agree to the terms, continuing to stall negotiations and showing he could not be trusted to compromise.

What was the engagement with the scots 1647 and why did it cause conflict

• A secret deal where Charles promised to impose Presbyterianism in England for three years in exchange for Scottish military support.

• It reignited the Civil War, destroyed trust in Charles, and pushed the country towards his trial and execution in 1649.

Religious factors; How did Charles’ support for Arminianism cause unrest?

• It alienated Puritans, who saw Laud’s reforms as a return to Catholicism

• due to emphasis on ceremonial practices, decorated churches ie stained glass windows ‘beauty of holiness’

What were some key examples of religious oppression under Charles?

• persecution of dissenters

• star chamber

• bishops more control

• strict enforcement of common book of prayer meant less freedom

What did this oppression lead to

• development of radical puritanism

• groups like the Providence Island Company providing a space for political resistance and questioning of Charles’ authority 

Other than radicalsim how else did they react

• great emigration to new england 1930s

How did religious conflict in Scotland impact Charles?

• emerged due to his introduction of English prayer book

• led to Bishops’ Wars

• this drained resources and forced Charles to recall Parliament.

How did the Irish Rebellion of 1641 worsen tensions and what was it due to

• fears of a Catholic uprising in Ireland

• Charles being seen as complicit or unable to manage the crisis.

Financial policies; Why did Charles face opposition for his financial methods?

• Bypassed parl which traditionally controlled taxation

• 1629 dissolved parl and ruled without it, relying on controversial methods to raise funds.

• Ship money and forced loans.

What was the political impact of Ship Money?

• It angered the gentry, who felt targeted and excluded from financial discussions.

How did the Bishops’ Wars affect his financial position?

• Bishops’ Wars (1639–1640)

• bankrupted Charles, forcing him to call the Short and Long Parliaments in 1640 to request funds.

why was there also social discontent

• Broader economic grievances, exacerbated by poor harvests and inflation

• created a climate of unrest that fueled political division.

To what extent was Charles I’s character and views the main reason for his failures as king in the years 1625 to 1646?

• Ruled at a time of financial strain, religious division and rising parl ambition, he made these problems way worse due to his character and outdated beliefs 

• Other rulers also believed in divine right of kings but they still showed compromise

• His character and views were undoubtedly to blame

Character and views; why was he not suited to be a monarch

• inferiority complex, reserved nature, speech impediment and a long shadow cast by his confident father James I

How did Charles I’s belief in divine right impact his reign?

• he developed an obsessive belief in the divine right of kings which made him view any kind of dissent as something personal 

What did Charles refuse to do from 1625 regarding Parliament?

• refused to explain or justify any of his policies to parl

• this inability to communicate effectively meaning tensions escalated quickly

What happened at the York House Conference (1626)?

It was intended to ease tensions with Parliament, but Charles refused to actively participate or accept opposing views, making it a failure

How did Charles’s relationship with Buckingham cause division?

• He relied heavily on the unpopular Buckingham and dissolved Parliament rather than allow his impeachment, worsening relations.

What was the Petition of Right (1628), and how did charles respond?

• It was a key assertion of Parliament’s rights, demanding no taxation without consent and no arbitrary imprisonment — a high point of parliamentary influence.

• Despite accepting it initially, he continued to act without consent, showing disregard for parliamentary authority and increasing distrust.

What did Charles do during the Personal Rule (1629–1640)?

He suspended Parliament entirely and ruled by prerogative for 11 years.

How did Charles handle the Short and Long Parliaments?

He showed an inability to cooperate, constantly trying to dissolve or control them, further worsening political division.

What was the Grand Remonstrance (1641), and how did Charles respond?

It was a document accusing Charles of abusing power and demanding reform. He rejected it and refused to compromise, escalating tensions.

Why was the Five Members Coup (1642) significant?

Charles attempted to arrest five MPs (including John Pym) in Parliament, destroying any remaining trust and showing he had lost control.

How did Charles’s mindset contribute to his failure?

He had a rigid, inflexible mindset and failed to adapt to a changing political landscape, leading to civil war and the collapse of monarchy.

Religion; What religious decision did Charles make in 1625 that caused tension?

He promoted the Arminian cleric Montagu in defiance of Parliament’s demands for his impeachment.

Why was Charles's promotion of Laud significant?

His later promotion of laud marked a turning point as charles fully aligned himself with laudianism - deeply unpopular with the largely calvinist PN

What were some key features of Laudian reforms in the 1630s?

• They included stained glass windows, strict control of preaching, and increased ceremonial practices in churches.

Why were Laudian reforms seen as controversial?

• provoked deep unrest with lots of changes happening to the church

• Many saw them as a move toward Catholicism, especially given Charles’s marriage to the Catholic Henrietta Maria.

Who opposed Charles's religious policies?

Both Puritans and moderate Protestants who felt alienated and alarmed by the changes, particularly due to Charles’s refusal to justify them.

What did the introduction of the English Prayer Book in Scotland (1637) lead to?

It sparked the Bishops’ War, forcing Charles to recall Parliament due to a lack of funds

How did Charles's efforts to impose religious uniformity affect tensions?

They worsened existing tensions and contributed significantly to the breakdown in relations with Parliament.

Finance; Why did Charles need money at the start of his reign?

He needed funds for expensive military campaigns, including failed expeditions to Spain and France.

How did Charles attempt to raise money without Parliament in 1626–27?

He used a Forced Loan, bypassing Parliament entirely, and imprisoned those who refused to pay — seen as a major overreach of royal power.

Why did Parliament resist granting Charles money?

• Parl was willing to give him money but they wanted a say in policy, particularly after the poor leadership of Buckingham - charles refused

• it seemed that he was attempting to rule absolutely and bypass their authority, which deepened mistrust.

What happened after the Three Resolutions of 1629?

after parl criticised his financial and religious policies through the three resolutions, he dissolved parl and began his personal rule

How did Charles raise money during Personal Rule?

Through unpopular fiscal methods like ship money (expanded to inland areas and made annual), monopolies, and other forms of non-parliamentary taxation.

Why did ship money become a symbol of royal overreach?

Though initially effective, it came to symbolise Charles's abuse of power, particularly due to the annual inland extension.

What was John Hampden's challenge in 1637?

He legally challenged ship money, demonstrating widespread resistance and public dissatisfaction.

What financial crisis led Charles to recall Parliament in 1640?

When the bishop's war broke out 1639-40 he was forced to call parl for money to continue fighting.

What happened with the Short Parliament (1640) and the long parl?

• short - Charles dissolved it after a few weeks when it refused to grant unconditional subsidies.

• long - It asserted itself over royal authority, highlighting Charles’s failure to manage Parliament or secure finances effectively.

How did Parliament’s role change during Charles’s reign?

Parliament became more radical and confident in response to Charles’s failures, especially by the late 1630s and early 1640s.

Favourites; Why was Charles’s relationship with Buckingham politically damaging?

Charles remained loyal to Buckingham despite widespread criticism, especially over the failed Madrid trip (1623) and the disastrous Cádiz expedition (1625).

How did Charles respond to Parliament's attempt to impeach Buckingham in 1626?

He reacted with fury and dissolved Parliament to protect Buckingham, which deeply alienated MPs and worsened tensions.

What did Buckingham come to symbolise in Charles’s government?

He became a symbol of corruption, incompetence, and the king’s poor judgement, fuelling parliamentary resentment.

How did Buckingham’s assassination in 1628 affect Charles’s attitude toward Parliament?

Although many celebrated Buckingham’s death, it deepened Charles’s mistrust of Parliament and led him to withdraw further into autocratic rule.

How did Charles’s handling of favourites contribute to his failures as king?

His refusal to compromise or reform his reliance on favourites like Buckingham escalated political discontent into open hostility.

How significant were religious divisions to political instability during Charles Is rule?

• The period from 1640 to 1660 in England was one of profound political instability, marked by civil war, regicide, the failure of successive governments, and ultimately the collapse of the republic and return of the monarchy.

• Religion played the main role but conflict also worsened by other factors too

Religious divisions; How did Charles I’s religious policies contribute to instability?

His support for Laudian reforms, emphasizing ceremony and hierarchy linked with Catholicism, alienated Puritans and Parliament, increasing fears of popery and radicalising opposition.

What role did the Irish Rebellion of 1641 play?

The rebellion, led by Irish Catholics, was framed by reports of Catholic atrocities, intensifying anti-Catholic sentiment and deepening religious and political divisions.

How did religious divisions lead to the Civil War in 1642?

Parliament, dominated by Puritans and nonconformists, opposed Charles and his Anglican supporters, reflecting a deep religious-political split.

What happened between 1646-49 regarding Presbyterianism?

Charles’s refusal to accept Presbyterianism alienated English Parliament and Scottish Covenanters, leading to the 1647 Engagement and the Second Civil War in 1648.

What was the significance of the NMA’s Head of Proposals in 1647?

It offered religious toleration which alienated Presbyterians and Covenanters; Charles refused it, which contributed to his trial and execution in 1649.

Political conflict; How did Charles’s personal rule cause political tension?

His 11-year personal rule (1629–40) abused prerogative power and imposed unpopular taxes like ship money, leading to widespread opposition.

What political groups challenged authority around 1646?

The Levellers and Diggers demanded political and social reforms (expanded vote, land redistribution), challenging Parliament and the army.

How did political disputes surface in the Putney Debates (1647)?

Radicals in the NMA and political groups argued over England’s future governance, revealing deep divisions.

Military factors; What was the religious motivation of the NMA?

Influenced by Puritan and millenarian beliefs, the NMA saw themselves as agents of a godly reformation.

What was Pride’s Purge (1648)?

The army forcibly removed MPs loyal to Charles I, leading to the king’s trial and execution and the establishment of the Commonwealth.

How far was the growth of political and religious radicalism in the years 1640 to 1660 due to the breakdown of authority in State and Church?

• Before the civil war the king, church of england and parl had tight control, but then this was destabilised

• Despite attempts being made to restore control ie blasphemy act 1650 there was no legitimate authority to back this up - Cromwell left them to do as they pleased

• Key figures reinforced these ideologies, not just the breakdown of authorities 

• Eventually suppressed in the early 1650s, showing how radicalisms survival relied upon instability

Levellers

• The Levellers were a predominantly London-based pressure group that sought political, economic and social reform during a period of immense uncertainty 

• A key figure was john lilburne

• During a time of economic and political distress due to the civil war, they proposed radical reforms such as universal male suffrage, biennial parls and legal equality, also advocated for sovereignty to reside with the people rather than a monarch or elite parl

• The collapse of church courts and royal censorship allowed for the spread of these idea through pamphlets, newspapers and public petitions 

• The Putney debates of 1647 exemplify this opening of political discourse; the army council considered their proposals, something unimaginable under a monarch

• However, their ultimate failure and their suppression in 1649 following the arrest of leaders and the army mutiny showed the limits of radicalism due to figures like cromwell

• This rise wouldn't have been possible without the breakdown of traditional authority

Puritans

• Religious radicalism also flourished in this period, largely due to the breakdown of the COE’s authority 

• Before 1940 the church had enforced orthodoxy through the episcopal hierarchy and church courts

• Now the bishops had been abolished and censorship replaced after 1941, allowing puritan sects that had previously been suppressed to preach, publish and gather followers openly 

• This growth was also seen in the NMA which further contributed to the radicalisation of both religion and politics 

• Millenarianism - a core belief among many puritans that christs second coming was imminent became more mainstream during the 1940s

• This was in part due to the collapse of the old world order, which was confirmed by the regicide of 1949 (execution of Charles I)

• However, this was not the only reason puritanism flourished; the NMA contributed significantly with radical officers promoting it, the army not only protected but sometimes promoted radicalism even when figures like cromwell tried to suppress it

• Also individuals such as James Nayler

Ranters, Quakers and fifth monarchists 

• These were the most extreme religious radical groups, emerged in the later stages of the interregnum between 1649-60 as the authority of the rump parl and later the protectorate failed to command widespread legitimacy - thrived off of instability

• Ranters; directly challenged both church doctrine and civil authority 

• Quakers; under george fox rejected the clergy and formal church services, focusing on personal revelations and silent worship

• Fifth monarchists; led by Thomas Harrison, were the most politically dangerous and they believed they were living in the end times. They were directly involved in uprisings in 1653, 1657. Their emergence directly tied to the failure to provide a stable gov after regicide

• These groups wouldn’t have gained traction if an effective central church and legitimate monarchy in place to suppress them 

• However also relied on millenarian theology and charismatic leaders