1688-1701 Flashcards
1
Q
ascendency of william and mary
A
- flight of james II removed the main obstacle of william and mary’s ascension
- a few maintained that james was still the rightful king that william should be a regent or consort
- mary refused to rule without william and william threatened to leave the country if he wasn’t proclaimed king
- faced with a power vacuum if this happened, parliament conceded and made william of orange king william III
2
Q
political settlement
A
- parliament was keen to prevent a repeat of the past and to ensure the king’s powers and limitations were clearly defined
- declaration of rights which they forced william to accept
- declaration affirmed the rights of people and parl:
- use of king’s prerogative to overrule parliament laws was declared illegal
- taxation without the consent of parliament was prohibited
- the requirement of regular parliament was established: triennial act
- parliament was continually in session for the duration of william’s regin but this was down to the fact that william’s foreign wars kept him out of the country for long periods of time, meaning parliament was required more for the day to day running of the country
3
Q
religious settlements
A
- a comprehensive church was proposed. a national church system would still exist, but it would offer concessions to protestant dissenters one elements of anglican liturgy that they disagreed with so that they could be part of this wider church
- a tolerant church was proposed. those who could not be included in the national church would be tolerated so allowed to have their own churches outside
- both were backed by william but resisted by the dominant anglican establishment
4
Q
financial settlement
A
- he brought the nation into war against france within months of being king
- rising costs of war resulted in ministers developing new taxes. they were actually paid as they were issued by parl so the people saw them as legitimate
5
Q
commission of public accounts 1690
A
monitored how money was spent by the crown and directed how specific money would be spent for specific purposes had been allowed by the crown to smooth the financing of the war effort by providing proof of the legitimate use of tax revenue
6
Q
bank of england
A
- founded in 1694 by an act of parl
- this was to create a controlled system of loans that would be made available to the crown. this increased control of the parliament over the crowns expenditure combined with the fact that the bank was ordained by parl increased the confidence of investors that their loans would be repaid
7
Q
civil list 1698
A
the grant from parl to the crown of funds foe the cost of day to day running of government
8
Q
establishment of a constitutional monarchy
A
- william’s rule as king was limited by parl
- william replaced the rightful king subverting the tradition of primogeniture that had lead monarchical succession for centuries
- according to the whig accounts of the events, the rev was the establishment of supremacy of parl over the monarchy
- the meddling of parl and the overthrow of a rightful king subverted the long time accepted notion of divine right, parliament gave the king authority to rule rather than god
9
Q
convention parliament 1689
A
- james had broken the contract between the king and people (whig)
- he had violated the country’s fundamental laws (whig)
- his flight meant he had abdicated the throne (tory)
- 6th feb 1689, william and mary crowned
10
Q
significance of bill of rights 1689
A
- clauses included specific abuses of the royal prerogative under charles II and james II
- another clause called for elections to be both regular and free reflected resentment among MPs
- the bill made certain the legal position of the army, which had been in some doubt
- made certain that a force could not be raised or kept in times of peace without the consent of parliament
- a number of mutiny acts were passed from 1689, ensuring that the king could not court martial at will without the consent of parl
11
Q
limitations of bill of rights 1689
A
- was a statue law that could be revoked by any future parliament
- the bill was not a yardstick by which other laws could be judged and didn’t form part of a contract between the king and the people
- marxists argued that it was vague and that references in particular to holding frequent parliament could still allow for absolutism to creep in
12
Q
mutiny act 1689
A
soldiers could not be court martial by the monarch without consent of parliament. act valid for 1 year ensured regular parliaments prior to triennial act
13
Q
significant of act of settlement 1701
A
- the settlement stated that in order to bypass potential catholic heirs to the throne
- catholics and those married to catholics were barred from the succession tall future monarchy were required to be members of the C of E
- judges couldn’t be dismissed without consent of parl, a reaction to james’ of removal of disloyal members of the judiciary
- royal pardons to be declared irrelevant in cases of impeachment
- preventing the monarch from leaving without permission of parl
- no future monarch was allowed to enter england into a war in order to defend the monarch’s home country
- no foreign born man can be granted lands or tithes, be apart of the privy council, sit in either house of parliament or have a military command
14
Q
what extent did the bill of rights and act of settlement confirm the end of divine right- whigs
A
- bill of rights preserved england’s ‘ancient constitution’ from the absolutism of james II
- present the political settlement as a starting point of a new constitution
- the interpretation presented parl as the supreme authority in the political system
15
Q
what extent did the bill of rights and act of settlement and confirm the end of divine right- marxists
A
- present the settlement as one that created a constitutional monarchy
- they believe a constitutional monarchy wasn’t fully established
- parliament was an advisory board only
- parliament still represented only the richest 2% of the population
16
Q
william III
A
- first truly protestant king
- he was a calvinist, which meant he was the wrong type of protestant in the eyes of many anglicans
- he lacked commitment to the anglican church and favoured the promotion of religious toleration for all protestants
17
Q
impact of toleration act
A
- served to unify Protestantism and to direct any religious discontent against catholics
- only passed as a compromise to prevent the compensation bill, this suggests the main power elite still maintained a strong sense of anglicanism that they had at the restoration
- anglican churchmen concerned that worship within the C of E remained uniform and wasn’t modified
18
Q
oath of allegiance
A
- act required everyone to take a new oath
-some refused to break their oath to james - number of high-ranking clegymen had to forfeit their positions
- this development caused the whigs to denounce the high church clergy as more loyal to james, resulting in the replacement and of some moderate figures
- act could be said to have contributed to the weakening of the established church
19
Q
toleration acr 1689
A
- dissenters were exempled from punishment if they took an oath of allegiance to the crown and accepted the 1678 test act, meaning they were unable to enter public employment without swearing loyalty to anglican church
- dissenters not expected to attend anglican church, but their meetings closely monitored
- quakers refused to take oaths
- made it easier for dissenters to worship
20
Q
william’s attitude to religious toleration
A
- in early 1689, william urged the removal of the sacramental test for public office holders which would mean repealing the test act
- compromise that a toleration act be passed with a promise for tory and anglican demands
21
Q
evidence of reduced influence of anglican church
A
- toleration act and events served to undermine the established church in a number of ways, and the role of religion in local gov and legal system was also reduced
- accepted that the C of E couldn’t enforce complete uniformity and some allowances had to be made for dissenters
- catholics enjoyed reasonable degree of freedom despite being excluded from TA
- william used his royal authority to influence judges and to curb the church interference in the lives of catholics and dissenting sects
- the power of church courts was severely restricted by the TA
22
Q
evidence the influence of anglican church was maintained
A
- the statutes enforcing uniformity weren’t repealed, which meant that public officials had to swear allegiance to the church
- to gain public employment or join parliament, there was no choice but to swear allegiance to the crown and take anglican communion
- no theological debate between MPs and peers before the TA. it can be seen as a reactionary attempt to maintain order and preserve the anglican church
23
Q
toleration act did little to undermine anglican supremacy
A
- public office and higher education were to remain under anglican control
- the laws against dissenters holding office to remain in force, the ban on dissenters attending britain’s zunis
- no freedom of worship for catholics, unitarians or jews
- meeting houses had to be registered with local JPs
- dissenter office holder had to do was set aside religious and participate in anglican services
- agreed to the toleration act in order to prevent the weakening of anglicanism
24
Q
toleration act did undermine anglican supremacy
A
- didn’t repeal laws against dissenters
- all protestant churches to be tolerated
- toleration act not only freed dissenters from having to go to church but also the lazy, skeptical and sleepy
- church’s ability to demand obedience and good behaviour from its followers was weakening
25
growth of parliamentary power
- parliament consolidated its power by imposing conditions on william's ascension to ensure the continued existence of parl
- parl also edited the coronation oath by emphasising the primary of law and limited powers of the monarchy
- parliament getting william to agree to this is significant
26
relationship between king and parl
- william was shocked when parl and forced the disbandment of the army against his wishes, this suggests the rev had bound the king to parl
- william faced one of his bills being voted down
- his response was to dissolve parl in 1690, this renewed fears of the independence of parl
27
triennial act 1694
- gave the structure parl needed to be effective
- by properly defining the king's power, parl reduced it and bolstered its own standing in the process
- having a seat in parl meant having a say in the running if the country
- william realised he was better off co-operating with parliament
- guaranteed regular parliaments including regular elections every 3 years
- removed the king's right to dissolve parl at will
- resulted in the 'rage of party' involving the rise of function in parl
28
act of settlement 1701
- further limited the crown by preventing the king from having any hidden advisors
- no member if the king's service could also become a member of parl
- the king's power outside of parl was limited but also limited his influence within parl
29
why did william choose lord halifax as lord privy seal?
- he had become a close adviser to william
- he led the house of lords in their discussions about the political settlement during the convention parl
- he wasn't loyal to whigs or tories and william needed to appoint someone who would be able to transcend their differences as william struggles to understand the system of political parties
30
william's natural allies were assumed to be?
- whigs were considered to be wiliam's natural allies at they favoured progressive reform and had originally called for a protestant succession but they were too radical and william held suspicions that a number of them were republicans
31
battle of boyne- july 1690
james was amassing a force in ireland in an attempt to return to power and william left to fight him in the summer of 1690, culminating in his victory at the battle of boyne
32
foreign policy challenges william faces
series of defeats to the french in the nine years war the williamite war in ireland as well as a jacobite rising in scotland (1689-92)
33
whig junto
- group of whig rebels
- favoured strong executive and supported william's war
- wanted to promote the protestant cause in europe
- their influence waned as they received peerages and moved to the house of lords where their influence limited
34
monarchy keeping power
- toleration act 1689: dissenters were exempted from punishments if they took an oath of allegiance to the crown. whigs in parl insisted the clergy take an oath of allegiance to william
- 1690: parliament saw a strengthening in the position of the privy council over parl
- 1696: a whig proposal acknowledging william as the lawful king and reasserted their belief in him
- 1690: parliament fails to get a commission
35
parliament gains power
- the bill of rights 1689: stopped a lot of the king's power
- 1691: the cost of war in ireland was a concern for parliament, the whigs were able to establish a commission of accounts in an attempt to control expenditure
- 1691-92: divisions in william's council over strategy led to a series of defeats to the french in the nine years war
- triennial act 1694: gains royal assent
36
nine years' war (1688-97)
- william took britain into the league of augsbury, a coalition of european powers ranged against louis XVI's france and in the nine years war
- william was out of the country campaigning in europe between spring and autumn each year, and left the gov of the country in the hands of his wife
- the war influence the composition of parl. royal powers of patronage increased the number of MPs who also served as military officers
- before the triennial act 1694 william had to summon parl every year to gain taxes to fund the war, but he wasn't required to dissolve parl at any time
37
declaration of rights 1688
- outlined the limitations of the king's power
- outlined the rights of parl in the reign of the new king
- not an official act
38
bill of rights 1689
- confirmed many of the aspects of the declaration
- didn't technically guarantee parl's existence
- king was still able to dissolve parl the following year
39
triennial act implications
- parliament could not last longer than 3 year
- rivalry between the whigs and tories was stronger than ever
- regular elections meant that it was difficult for the crown to establish a party in the h of c
- leading to william becoming more reliant on securing support for MPs
- caused instability by frequent elections
- arguably the need for money was the reason for the regular meeting of parl
40
act of settlement 1701
- prevented the king from being a catholic
- prevented the king from having hidden advisors
- prevented those in the king' service from holding a seat in parl
41
act of settlement implications
- judges could no longer be dismissed without the consent of parl
- royal pardons to be declared irrelevant in cases of impeachment
- prevented the monarch from leaving britain without the permission of parl
- the fear of absolutism and desire to reign in the king is clear throughout the act
- no foreign born man was allowed to join the privy council, sit in either house of parl, have a military command or be granted land or tithes
42
foreign policy: war with france
- as soon as the crown was placed upon his head, william declared war on france
- almost continuous war for england an the expenses put a hug strain on the country's finances
- william's expenditure was about £5.5 million a year, compared to £2 million a year james had spent, this was to rise £8.1 million a year by 1696 and £10.2 million a year the decade after
43
financial developments
- until 1690, the monarch had been living off normal means of revenue
- the bill of rights made the king financially dependent on parl
- this combined with expenses of the war brought an end to any financial independence of the king
- the war can be seen as the primary reason for financial rev
- the expenditure almost resulted in bankruptcy
- taxation faced great changes which allowed for far more to be collected
- the taxes weren't enough and the crown took to borrowing
- bank of england 1694 to manage growing debts. crown's debts became a national debt that was backed by parl, which was significant as many had been wary of tending to a newly established regime
44
significance of financial revolution
- restricting of finances on account of the war had constitutional implications
- the financial rev that secured regular meetings of parl
- william's wars that had the greatest significance for england's constitutional development
- his huge demand for resources that led to a higher level of control over finances by parl than had been stipulated in bill of rights
- bill of rights hadn't mentioned anything about parl controlling how the king spent money
45
course of the war
- nine years later fought between league of augsbury, led by holland, england, spain, holy roman empire v france
- william spent 6 years on campaign making key strategic decisions himself
- william keen to ensure france not able to dominate and balance restored to european politics
- complete transformation in british foreign policy, william taking risk by committing millions and thousands of troops to war effort
- william recruited 68,000 men; cost £2.8 million through borrowing from bank of england
- war caused strain between william and parl- he demanded huge sums
- bankrupt by 1697, argued army should be reduced in size and taxes paid per war should be reduced
- peace talks resumed
- a settlement reached at the treaty of ryswick in sept 1697, peace officially declared between france and other 3 powers
46
restricting of government finances
- excise taxes: excise tax on tea, tobacco and alcohol
- estimates war cost just over £5.4 million a year 1689-97. tax revenue was £3.6 million
- land tax: most significant revenue system, provided 1/3 of all required funds. the elites were land owners most liable to pay this tax and the efficiency with when it was collected suggests the war had their approval
- was set out 20% of the profits landowners made from their land
- william also levied loans in the form of 'lotteries.' in 1694 william raised £1 million with 100,000 tickets sold and winners drawn at random
- in 1698, william raised £2 million at a rate of 8% by promising investors a stake in the new east india company
47
civil list act 1698
given a 'civil list' of income at £700,000 per year with any surplus this money was allocated to meet expenses of william expenditure of the royal household
48
establishment of the bank of england in 1694
- 1694 introduction of an effective system of gov borrowing through establishment of bank of england
- 8% interest on a £1.2 million loan was repaid by specific duties allocated by parl and in return, the subscribers were incorporated into a bank
- creditors set up banking services and arranged future gov borrowing
- debt was underwritten by parl- no longer royal debt but instead the responsibility of the nation
- the bank took over affairs related to military funding
- system remained the basis of gov finance today
49
significance of the change from royal control of finance to parliamentary oversight?
- a distinction was made between military and civil expenditure
- parliamentary control of finance meant that the king had no choice but to meet with parl regularly, thus increasing its authority
- parliament could withhold supply and effectively hold the crown to ransom
- parliament was able to audit government expenditure
- commission into public accounts was paid by and accountable to parl rather than the monarch
- monarch would never again be able to use their prerogative to avoid working with parl
50
financial measures
- 1690 public accounts act exposed corruption and deficiencies in government expenditure, responsible to parl
- 1692 land tax levied in on income from land. yield was £1 million in first year, provided 1/3 of all required funds
51
effects of financial reform
- regular meeting with parl= increase in authority
- parliament and controlled military expenditure and audit government expenditure
- crown spending controlled through civil list- no longer able to use prerogative powers to avoid working with parl
- beneficial to the economy- those previously reluctant to invest in gov
52
political revolution
- licensing act 1695= lapses thereby allowing greater political scrutiny by the press
- act of settlement enshrined parliaments authority over succession
- represented a move towards parliamentary
- declaration of rights essentially laid out conditions of their ascension
53
no political revolution
- a desire among many of the political class to join the royal court, which strengthened william's hand
- many of the provisions of the act of settlement were a reaction to actions of william
