Stuarts timeline.docx

James I of England

James I of England

James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603, inheriting the throne with prior experience as a monarch. He was known for his intellectual pursuits, pragmatism, and open court.

Patronage

Involves granting gifts of wealth, offices, or status to individuals by nobles or the monarch to secure loyalty and support.

Common Law

Legal system in England based on customs, precedents, and laws made by monarchs in Parliament, interpreted by judges. It evolved over centuries and played a crucial role in governance.

Crown Debt under James I

When James I inherited the throne in 1603, Crown debt was around £400,000. His extravagant spending, reliance on prerogative sources of income, and lack of financial reforms led to economic challenges.

Extraordinary Revenue

Sources of income for the Crown beyond ordinary revenue, including customs duties, direct taxes, and occasional sources like benevolences and sales of Crown assets.

Corruption in Finances

Financial mismanagement and corruption under James I's reign, including devaluation of titles, overexploitation of honours, embezzlement by officials like Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk, and lack of systematic reform in Crown finances.

The Gunpowder plot 1605

Parliament granted £400,000 to James after the assassination attempts of the jesuits with the gunpowder plot.

Attack on Monopolies in Parliament

The Parliament of 1621 criticized monopolies, notably Giles Mompesson's abuse, leading to investigations and the impeachment of Lord Chancellor Francis Bacon.

Subsidy Act, 1624

A subsidy of £300,000 was granted under the condition that the money be spent in agreed areas and supervised by Parliament-appointed officials.

Statute of Monopolies, 1624

This act nullified past and present monopolies, except for new inventions, marking the beginning of patent law and limiting the King's power to grant monopolies.

Millenary Petition

Presented in 1603, it contained requests from Puritans, rejecting certain practices like signing the cross during baptism and pluralism in the clergy.

Hampton Court Conference

Held in 1604, it led to minor reforms but failed to address major Puritan grievances, resulting in a temporary truce between the factions.

Bancroft Canons

Published in 1604, these church laws enforced orthodox practices, leading to the dismissal of some Puritan ministers.

Treaty of London

Signed in 1604, it ended the war with Spain, to reduce expediture.

Customs Farmers

Introduced in 1604, this system of 'farming out' customs eroded Parliament's control over taxation and allowed for corruption in syphoning off Crown revenue.

Gunpowder Plot

Foiled in 1605, it led to harsh measures against Catholics, including the Popish Recusancy Act 1605 and the Oath of Allegiance 1606.

Bates’ Case

In 1606, John Bate's case established the King's prerogative right to regulate trade, increasing fears among customs farmers.

The Book of Bounty

Issued in 1608 by Robert Cecil, it aimed to curb James's spending by restricting the gifting of major items but led to cash gifts instead.

Impositions

Taxes levied on goods, around 1,400 items, introduced by the Crown to increase revenue, leading to political tensions with Parliament over taxation authority.

Great Contract

Proposed in 1610 by Salisbury to replace a subsidy with the Crown giving up feudal rights in exchange for an annual subsidy from Parliament, ultimately failed due to mutual distrust.

King James Bible

Published in 1611, a new version commissioned after the Hampton Court Conference, aimed to strengthen the concept of Divine Right by removing annotations critical of monarchs, becoming the official English translation.

Addled Parliament

The 1614 Parliament, known for its ineffectiveness, dissolved after eight weeks due to financial issues, factional conflicts, manipulation of MPs, and James I's indecisiveness.

Cockayne Plot

In 1614, William Cockayne's failed attempt to break the Merchant Adventurers' monopoly on cloth exports led to decreased revenue and increased unemployment in the textile industry.

Cranfield's Reforms

Implemented from 1618-1624, aimed at financial success by reducing waste, controlling expenses in the ordnance and navy departments, and eliminating corruption, but faced challenges due to James I's extravagance.

1621 Parliament

Focused on monopolies and foreign policy, marked by factional infighting, with Buckingham and Cranfield encouraging the impeachment of Francis Bacon over monopolies.

Subsidy Act

Passed in 1624, granted just under £300,000 to Charles I in exchange for Parliament specifying how the money should be used, setting a precedent for future policy formulation.

Statute of Monopolies

Enacted in 1624, limited the King's ability to grant monopolies to individuals, except for patents of new inventions lasting a maximum of 14 years, revoking the King's prerogative.

Henrietta-Maria of France

Charles I's wife, married in 1625 as part of James I's foreign policy, after failed attempts to secure a Spanish match, aiming to secure the Palatinate from the Spanish through a more aggressive approach.

Forced Loan

A method of prerogative finance used by Charles I to collect funds equivalent to five parliamentary subsidies, where individuals were summoned to pay the loan, making refusal a public act of opposition.

Five Knights’ Case

A legal case in November 1627 where five individuals claimed a writ of habeas corpus against Charles I's imprisonment for refusing to pay the forced loan, leading to a judgment upholding Charles' prerogative.

Buckingham

Charles I's favorite, who chaired a theological debate in 1626 to support Laud over Arminianism, reinforcing his political position with the king.

Petition of Right

A 1628 document restricting Charles I's powers, requiring parliamentary consent for taxation, just cause for imprisonment, and declaring martial law and billeting illegal.

Irish Rebellion

The 1641 uprising in Ulster where Irish Catholics massacred 3,000 Protestants, leading to fears of a Catholic plot involving Charles I and loss of Protestant support.

Trial and Execution of Wentworth

The 1641 trial and execution of Strafford, where Parliament used a Bill of Attainder to sentence him without a trial, leading to Charles I signing the death warrant.

Grand Remonstrance

A list of grievances by Parliament in 1641 against Charles I's conduct, containing 204 articles and highlighting the growing radicalism and power of Parliament.

Solemn League and Covenant

A 1643 agreement between English and Scots to support Parliamentarians against royalists, aiming for a civil and religious union under a Presbyterian-parliamentary system.

New Model Army

Formed in 1645 under Sir Thomas Fairfax, it became an effective fighting unit for Parliament, with debates on its effectiveness stemming from religious radicalism and professional discipline.

Major-General Philip Skippon

Commander of twelve regiments of Foot (14,000 men) in the New Model Army during The First Civil War.

Lieutenant-General Oliver Cromwell

Led eleven regiments of Horse (6,600 men) in the New Model Army during The First Civil War.

Dragoons

One regiment of dragoons (1,000 men) armed with muskets in the New Model Army during The First Civil War.

Naseby

Site of the New Model Army's first success in June 1645 during The First Civil War, leading to the defeat of Charles I.

Navigation Act

1651 law allowing only English ships to transport goods into England and its colonies, impacting trade.

First Dutch War

Conflict starting in 1652, causing tensions between the Rump and the army due to economic and political reasons.