Causes and Trigger events of the English Civil War Flashcards
1629-1642
When did Charles I’s reign begin?
1625, becoming King of England, Scotland and Ireland
What religions were there in England?
- Protestant (Puritan and Angelican)
- Catholic
Who were the Puritans?
Strict protestants, who wanted to purify the Christian religion by removing anything not in the Bible
Who did Charles I marry and why was this a bad decision?
- Henrietta Maria (French Catholic Princess), 1625
- People were suspicious of C’s plans for religion and foreign policy
What were ‘customs duties’ and what happened in 1625?
- Taxes on imported and exported goods.
- Parliament only let C collect it once a year —> C dissolved P and illegally taxed people anyway.
Who was George Villier and why was he bad?
Duke of Buckingham, closest advisor.
1. Arranged marriage to Henrietta Maria
2. head of foreign policy, failed attacks on Cadiz and La Rochelle which lead to loss in money and resources
3. C was stubborn and always put friend ahead of country’s needs
How much did England lose in attack to Cadiz (Spanish city) 1625?
wasted £250,000, 7000 soldiers and 62 ships
How much did England lose in attack to La Rochelle (French city) 1626?
5000 of 7000 soldiers and B was forced to flee back to England
Why was raising money through a “forced loan” and illegal customs duties a bad decision 1627? (after La Rochelle and Cadiz)
- Parliament = disrespected and ignored, friend in front of country
- Ppl lost faith in C and were angry bc punished and taxed illegally
What was the Petition of Right and the effects after it 1628?
Parliament’s attempt to prevent Charles I from his arbitrary decisions:
1. no taxation w/o P consent
2. no imprisonment w/o reason
C agreed and tax was granted but criticism to D.B meant he prorogued P.
What was the effect of Buckingham’s assassination 1628?
D.B had no influence but Queen became most influential adviser and nobody liked her (Catholic and French.)
When was the Personal Rule or 11 Years’ Tyranny?
1629 - 1640, C ruled w/o Parliament for 11 years like a dictator. C cannot collect taxes or change law.
Who was William Laud and why was he unpopular 1633?
New Archbishop of Canterbury.
1. W.L and C made church more decorative and colourful = too Catholic.
2. Puritans complained and were harshly punished.
C should have protected his Protestant ppl. Changes went against their beliefs.
What was ship money and why did Charles collect it 1634?
A medieval tax paid by coastal counties in times of war to pay for the navy.
1. C was desperate for money but unwilling to summon P to grant taxes.
2. C even collected SM from inland counties
Illegal and C was behaving selfishly, ppl increasingly frustrated.
What were the effects of the introduction of the Scottish Prayer Book 1637?
- Ppl rioted and tension between English and Scots was created
- Scots signed National Covenant 1638 to resist changes to Church
What was coat and conduct money and why did Charles collect it 1639?
Another illegal tax.
1. C needed to fund the army he raised against the Scots
2. C refused to summon P, no one payed the tax and trust in C fell even more
Why and when did Charles raise an army against the Scots?
- He wanted to force them to follow his religious plans.
What was the Short Parliament 1640?
- After 11 years of ruling w/o Parliament, Charles I called for this Parliament because he needed money to finance wars
- The House of Commons, led by the Puritans, refused to grant the king money until he addressed their grievances and complaints
- After 3 weeks, the king dissolved the Parliament
What was the Short Parliament’s complaints 1640?
C’s abuse of ship money and religious changes.
How did Charles make the Scots stop attacking England 1640?
- C paid Scots £850 (£100,000) a day
- C’s soldiers were badly supplied, unpaid and unenthusiastic so they left him
C lost popularity and his soldiers deserted him
In 1640, who has more power: Charles or Parliament?
Parliament. Though C can dissolve P at anytime, C needs their money so P can blackmail C into doing whatever they want.
When was the Long Parliament?
1640-1660
What happened during the summoning of Long Parliament 1640 November?
- LP issued demands in return for taxation which included LP’s rights, abolishment of tax and religious changes
- C agreed to all but religious changes.
Half MP’s were happy but Puritan MP’s were not. This created two opposing sides which made conflict more likely.
What was the Grand Remonstrance 1641 November?
- A list of grievances/complaints presented to King Charles I of England by the English Parliament during the Long Parliament
- It was one of the chief events which were to precipitate the English Civil War - it set out all that had gone wrong since C’s accession
What were the events that followed the Grand Remonstrance 1641 November?
- News of a rebellion in Ireland had reached Parliament; (leaders of the Commons fearing that if any army were raised to repress the Irish rebellion it would be used against them), planned to gain control of the army by forcing the king to agree to a militia bill
- King refused to sign it & fearing the impeachment of his Catholic queen order the arrest of 5 members of Parliament
What was stated in the Militia Ordinance 1642 March?
Parliament should be allowed to control the army. C ordered army to stay loyal to him. Two sides of conflict were prominent now.
What was stated in the Nineteen Propositions 1642 June?
Parliament’s most extreme set of demands yet, giving Parliament a more superior position over the country.
What were the effects of the Nineteen Propositions 1642 June?
- Charles rejected the propositions because he thought it would make him a mere ‘phantom king’.
- Moderates in Parliament felt the demands were too extreme and sided with Charles
When did the English Civil War begin?
Each side had now raised an army. On 22nd August Charles declared war on Parliament.
Summary of events 1625-1640
1625 - 👑
1628 - 📝new Parliament, PETITION OF RIGHT
1629 - 1️⃣1️⃣ yrs Tyranny, Personal Rule
1633 - ⛪️ ABC changes Church
