The English Civil Wars

Absolutism

• James 1 and Charles 1 used divine right of kings to defend absolutism

• Factors against absolutism

  • Parliament big part of English culture

  • local government

James 1 (ruled 1603-1625)

• 1st Stuart Dynasty

• believed in Devine Right of Kings

• Ruled mildly- concerned Parliament

Charles 1 (ruled 1625-1649)

• Parliament thought he was Catholic

• Didn’t enter 30 year war

• Catholic wife

  • that’s why they thought he was Catholic

• Conflicts with Parliament

  • Parliament refused to fund his military

  • tried to make his own money

Petition of Rights- 1628

• Key Parts

  • no taxation without Parliament

  • no unjust imprisonment

  • no quarter of troops can live in commoners home

  • no martial law in peace time

• Key document of common law

• Charles 1 dissolved Parliament

Period of Personal Rule

• 1629-1640 parliament not called in session

• Charles 1 tried to raise his own money

  • used old laws to collect money

Conflict with Scotland

• Charles tried to bring Scotland into Anglican Church

• becomes full on revolt

The Long Parliament

• 1640-1660

• wouldn’t meet without meeting Charles demands

War Begins

• Royalist

  • cavaliers

  • law taxes

  • free society

• Parliamentarians

  • roundheads

• 1645, Parliamentarians

  • largely due to New Model Army

• 1646 Charles 1 captured and imprisoned

• 1648 war breaks out again when Parliament found out Charles was working with the Scots

• Second Civil War is short

• January 1647 Charles caught, tried, convicted, and executed