Charles I: Political divisions -> Growing divisions in the Long Parliament and the Irish rebellion Flashcards
Whose radicalism led to the formation of the Royalist party?
John Pym
What combined with Pym’s radicalism to make matters worse?
The flouting of religious authority in London and popular rebelliousness across the country
- botched the chances for peaceful settlement with the King and created the basis for a Party of Order gravitating towards the King
Which political faction did Pym lead?
Opposition in the House of Lords
When did Earl of Bedford die?
May 1641
What was Pym known as?
The Pym Junto
Who was Pym supported by?
- John Hampden
- Arthur Haselrig
- Sir Henry Vane
- Oliver St John
What had happened to over half the Privy Council by May 1641?
They had been imprisoned, exiled or disgraced
What were John Pym’s main aims as the chief opponent of Charles I?
- The removal and punishment of Charles I’s ‘evil councillors’
- a political settlement without the threat of being overturned by Charles
- removal of the threat of Catholic popery and the establishment of a strong Protestantism
What was Pym obsessed with?
Having a ‘true religion’
Why was Pym obsessed with this?
In establishing the ‘true religion’ the threat of popery and other threats to Parliament would be removed
What were Charles’ religious policies in the 1630s interpreted as?
A dual policy of establishing Catholicism and absolutism
How was Pym’s agenda not initially radical?
In the 1620s he had sought to achieve from ‘within’ the adequate funding of royal government, and he wanted the Political Nation unified
Why did Pym become more radical during the Long Parliament?
As Charles continued to threaten to use force and as a result of the heightened religious and political tension caused by the Irish rebellion
Why could the division within Parliament be good for Charles?
He might be able to take advantage of a divided Parliament
- if it remained united, he would not have been able to retaliate against it
Why could the division within Parliament be bad for Charles?
It might make the task of achieving a lasting settlement difficult and it helped pave the way for civil war
When could the point of no return be?
By the middle of 1641, after the execution of Strafford as blood had now been spilt
- radicalised the growing conflict and the drift towards war
When did Charles give his assent to the Attainder?
On 10 May, remarking sadly “My Lord Strafford’s condition is happier than mine”
What would the King do if he regained his powers?
Seek revenge on the MPs that had reduced his powers and brought about the death of his friend, Strafford
When did Charles travel to Scotland?
When Parliament went into recess in the summer of 1641
What settlement did Charles agree to in Scotland?
Regarding the Church of Scotland by withdrawing his earlier Laudian reforms in the Treaty of Ripon
How did Charles’ settlement in Scotland help England?
His agreement to the re-establishment of the Presbyterian Church (without bishops) secured the withdrawal of the Scottish army from the north of England
What did Parliament now fear that Charles would do?
- Because of the fear of Catholicism, some Protestant English politicians became radicalised
- determined to avenge the Protestant massacres
- fear was fed by the Army Plot of 1641
- supposed plan by which Wentworth would bring the English army in Ireland for Charles’ use against Parliament
- Parliament now feared that Charles might raise a Scottish army to march South on Parliament
When was the ‘Incident’?
October 1641
What was the ‘incident’?
A Royalist plot led by Charles’ ally, James Graham, 1st marquis of Montrose, to kidnap a group of Scottish nobles who were key Covenanters
