18. The emergence of Court and Country 'parties': causes, significance and consequences

Question 1

Court Party

Answer 1

Consisted of courtiers who supported Charles and acted as clients of the monarch in parliament.

Question 2

Causes of the Court and Country parties

Answer 2

-Started when the cabal was in power, cabal being a proto-court party
-After its collapse in 74, Buckingham and Cooper had joined country
-Country had started to organise around parliament in 73-74 with the Green Ribbon Club in 74, forming an opposition grouping
- Danby exacerbating factionalism - used patronage through pensions and titles - totaling £300,000 to get MPs onside w/ C

Question 3

Aims of the Court party

Answer 3

Tolerate dissenters and catholics, strengthen ties with France, manipulate parliament through crown patronage

Question 4

Key figures of the court party

Answer 4

Charles II, Danby, Duke of Ormonde

Question 5

Key figures of the country party

Answer 5

Buckingham, Cooper, William Coventry

Question 6

Aims of Country party

Answer 6

-Anti-catholic church
-Defend international protestantism
-Hostile to France
-Distrusted government
-Anti-Absolutist

Question 7

William Coventry

Answer 7

Instrumental in the attack on Danby, but imprisoned in the Tower of London in 69, eventually went to attack Danby.