Chapter Five | Charles I's Relations With Parliament

Question 1

When was Charles’ first parliament in session?

Answer 1

1625

Question 2

Why were favourites a source of tension during Charles’ first parliament?

Answer 2

Enormous influence (Buckingham made gentleman of bedchamber in 1615 giving 24-hour access to king)

Question 3

Why was personality a source of tension during Charles’ first parliament?

Answer 3

Didn’t engage w/ leading figures in Commons & most influential supporters in countryside

Question 4

Why was religion a source of tension during Charles’ first parliament?

Answer 4

Parl attacked Charles support of Montagu - appointed him royal chaplain in 1625 (sign he approved of anti-calvinist sentiments & disregarded views of parl)

Question 5

Why was finance a source of tension during Charles’ first parliament?

Answer 5

Needed £1m to finance war against Spain, but parl only granted 2 small subsidies & T&P for 1 year - saw limited T&P as attack on prerogative, continued collecting it

Question 6

Why did Charles dissolve his first Parliament only two months after calling it into session?

Answer 6

Parliamentary criticism of Buckingham & Montagu

Question 7

What was the Cadiz expedition?

Answer 7

Disastrous anti-Spanish intervention into 30 Years War (in 1625) to return respect to country and its people, following years of political stress

Question 8

Who did Parliament believe to be responsible for the foreign policy failure that was the Cadiz expedition, and who did Charles blame?

Answer 8

Parl blamed Buckingham (Lord High Admiral) & Charles believed parl partly responsilble for failure to provide adequate funding

Question 9

When did Charles call a second Parliament into session, and why?

Answer 9

1626 - made necessary by failed Cadiz expedition, for financial reasons

Question 10

How did Charles reinforce his authority during his 1626 Parliament?

Answer 10

Laud preached opening sermon & he removed some parliamentary critics of 1625 (ensured they were picked as sheriffs so couldn’t stand for election)

Question 11

How did Parliament attempt to impeach Buckingham during Charles’ 1626 Parliament?

Answer 11

Earl of Bristol was ambassador to Spain during Spanish match (knew Charles promised to offer Catholics concessions if match was secured) - evidence provided in House of Lords persuaded them Buckingham should be charged w/ treason, not Bristol

Question 12

Why did Charles’ second parliament reinforce MPs negative impression of him?

Answer 12

Implied threat to parl’s future existent in statement suggesting absolutism (attempt to prevent Buckingham’s impeachment), reliance on parl for financial measures & dissolved it to save Bukingham (who favoured arminianism) from impeachment

Question 13

How did Charles support the French king against the Huguenots, and why was this support unpopular?

Answer 13

Lent king 8 warships - unpopular w/ parl which was strongly anti-French & anti-Catholic

Question 14

When did Buckingham take his force to La Rochelle to attack the French, and why?

Answer 14

1627 - France made secret treaty w/ Spain (1626) & expanded Navy, threatening England

Question 15

What figure indicates that Buckingham’s attack was a failure?

Answer 15

2989 of 7833 soldiers returned

Question 16

Why did Charles have to call a third Parliament into session?

Answer 16

Buckingham’s failed attack at La Rochelle signalled Britain at war w/ Spain & France - but all funds now spent

Question 17

What was the Five Knight’s Case?

Answer 17

When 5 of 76 imprisoned for refusing to pay forced loan (1626) called court order of habeas corpus (had to be tried for offence or released), judge upheld Charles’ prerogative to imprison resistors w/o trial

Question 18

What provoked Parliament’s Petition of Right?

Answer 18

Judge’s rule applied to 5 Knight’s case alone, but Charles falsified legal records to suggest this was a general right

Question 19

When was Charles’ fuorth Parliament in session, and what issues did Parliament want addressed in exchange for five subsidies?

Answer 19

1628-29 - taxation (concern over illegality of extra taxes, esp T&P), billeting (civilians hosting troops often didn’t receive promised payment), martial law (gentry thought this was too absolutist because it overruled all other law to keep billeted troops under control) & imprisonment w/o trial

Question 20

What was the Petition of Right?

Answer 20

Response to MPs concern that Charles couldn’t be trusted to rule by unwritten constitution (E.g. parl consent needed for taxation & just cause needed for imprisonment)

Question 21

When did Charles eventually accept the Petition of Right, and why?

Answer 21

7 June 1628 - threat of further parliamentary proceedings against Buckingham & funds needed for foreign policy (5 subsidies)

Question 22

Why did Charles temporarily suspend Parliament in 1628?

Answer 22

Remonstrance on 17 June attacking Buckingham’s foreign policy failure & another a week later because Charles continued collecting T&P (Parl believed it went against PoR)

Question 23

When was Buckingham assassinated?

Answer 23

23 Aug 1628

Question 24

What was the aftermath of Buckingham’s assassination?

Answer 24

Charles blamed parl’s negative portrayal of Buckingham & withdrew further from public, listening to advice of Catholic wife