4. Conflicts between Charles II and Parliament Flashcards
What happened to Clarendon in 1667?
Edward Hyde - Earl of Clarendon - was Charles’s chief minister and dominated politics in the 1660s and was held responsible for England’s humiliating defeat in the 2nd Anglo-Dutch War of 1665-67. Charles directed Parliament’s anger towards Clarendon and he fled to France in 1667. The Cabal took his place - a group of ministers, 2 of which were Catholics and one was a near atheist. This group’s diversity annoyed Parliament.
What was the Secret Treaty of Dover?
In 1670, Charles and Louis XIV signed the Treaty of Dover which meant that Charles would join France in any future war against the Dutch. MPs were suspicious of Charles’s relationship with Catholic France, with most sympathising with the Protestant Dutch. There were also secret terms of this treaty - Charles would convert to Catholicism and would receive a pension from the French.
What happened during the 3rd Anglo-Dutch War?
In 1672, Charles II started the 3rd Dutch War which became very unpopular with the people and Parliament due to convincing propaganda made by William of Orange. In 1672, Charles had to declare himself bankrupt due to the financial strains of the war, this was known as ‘Stop the Exchequer’. In order to receive subsidies from Parliament, he was forced to withdraw the unpopular 1672 Declaration of Indulgence which had promised religious freedom to Catholics and dissenters.
What was the Test Act of 1673?
It required that all office holders must declare their opposition to Catholic religious doctrines. One of the effects of the Test Act was that Charles II’s brother and heir James was excluded from high office. Another effect was the fall of the Cabal and the emergence of the Earl of Danby as Charles’s new chief minister.
What was the 1678-81 Exclusion Crisis?
In 1678, wild allegations were made against Catholic nobles and even the Queen, claiming that they were planning to murder the King and place James on the throne. This Popish Plot had no truth to it and yet Parliament took full advantage and denounced the King’s ministers. This forced Charles to dissolve the Cavalier Parliament in January 1679.
What were the 3 Exclusion Parliaments and what did they do?
Two Exclusion Parliaments met between 1679 and 1681, and each proposed a bill to exclude James from the succession. This led to mass demonstrations in favour of exclusion. Charles refused the bills and dissolved each Parliament after a few months. In March 1681, a third Exclusion Parliament met in the royalist strongholds of Oxford. By this time, Charles had received a large subsidy from Louis XIV allowing him greater independence. So, he dissolved Parliament and refused its demands.
What two political groups emerged due to the Exclusion Crisis?
The Whigs supported exclusion and claimed that the toleration of Catholicism would lead to royal absolutism, on the French model.
The Tories were MPs who had a strong belief in the power of the Monarchy, hereditary succession and respect for authority. They attacked the Whigs as closet Republicans and said that their beliefs would destabilise the country and renew civil war.
