Booklet 1 - What did personal rule look like?

Question 1

What was personal rule?

Answer 1

It was the 11 year period when Charles I governed without parliament from 1629-1640 and only recalled them in 1640 due to events in Scotland

Question 2

Why did Charles embark on the period of personal rule?

Answer 2

Due to his and parliament’s fall outs over foreign policy, raising funds without paliamentary agreement and the influence of Arminians in the Church.

Question 3

What do historians believe about the period of personal rule?

Answer 3

• That the dissolution of parliament in 1629 was the early development of the conflict between Charles and Parliament which eventually led to the civil war
• They believe Charles wanted to create an absolute monarchy and to deliberately attempt to destroy parliament
• They call it the 11 year tyranny
• They say Charles wanted to create his own government based on his own political and religious beliefs

Question 4

What was the disadvantage of personal rule for Charles?

Answer 4

He would lack parliamentry revenues and subsidies

Question 5

What did the period of personal rule look like?

Answer 5

• Government was centred on the privy council who met twice a week
• It was responsible for implimenting policy, dealing with Ireland, Scotland and trade and also supervising local government
• Charles lost touch with public opinion because he was only advised by people who agreed with him
• He was seen as catholic, corrupt and unenglish by the protestant public as he put forward unpopular policies and his wife practiced catholicism
• Masques took place in the royal court which demonstarted Charles and his wife keeping peace

Question 6

Who were the kings 2 advisers during the personal rule period and what did they do?

Answer 6

• Earl of Strafford - in the privy council, became Lord deputy of Ireland in 1632
• Laud - Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633, saw puritanism as a threat to the Anglican church and was suspected of being a catholic