Chapter 13: Divisions between army and Parliament and the regicide Flashcards
Windsor Prayer Meeting (April 1648)
The Windsor Prayer Meeting declared Charles the ‘man of blood’, meaning the man responsible for the bloodshed of the civil wars. The result of the civil wars caused many to accept that justice should be enacted on Charles. On 18 November 1648 Ireton’s Remonstrance of the Army demanded that Parliament put Charles on trial for him to be brought to justice.
Newport Treaty (June 1648 - October 1648)
The Political Independent MPs who had previously supported the army moved for a reconciliation with the king in the summer and autumn of 1648, due to the increasing radicalism of the army. Preparations were made to put proposals to the king, and these negotiations became known as the Newport Treaty.
Pride’s Purge (5 December 1648)
On 5 December a vote in Parliament saw 129 MPs vote in favour of the continuation of the Newport Treaty. This triggered a response from the Army, and the next day, troops led by Colonel Thomas Pride purged Parliament of their most in favour MPs. The remaining MPs, known as the Rump Parliament, would bring Charles I to trial.
Charles I’s execution (30 January 1649)
Charles refused to even accept the court’s legitimacy, as he didn’t it believe it had the authority to judge a monarch. It was clear to many that Charles needed to be permanently removed, to avoid any additional conflict or wars. On 30 January 1649, Charles was taken through the Banqueting Hall of Whitehall Palace to his scaffold, where he was executed.
