Charles I: Political divisions -> When did civil war become inevitable Flashcards
What are the key dates/events in the second session of the Long Parliament?
- May 1641: The Root and Branch bill
- June 1641: The Ten Propositions
- October 1641: The Irish Rebellion
- November 1641: The Grand Remonstrance
- January 1642: Attempted ‘armed coup’
When was the Root and Branch Bill?
May 1641
What was the Root and Branch Bill?
A bill aiming to reconstruct the existing structure of the Church by abolishing episcopacy from the ‘roots’ and in all its ‘branches’
How many Londoners signed the root and branch petition?
15,000
How many presented the petition to Parliament?
1500
Who introduced the Root and Branch bill?
Oliver Cromwell and Henry Vane the Younger
Why was the Root and Branch Bill significant?
It signified how sides were being taken and was the point of no return
Who was one of the chief supporters of the petition?
John Pym
What did Pym seek through the petition?
The removal of Charles influence by establishing a system of lay patronage in place of bishops, to allow locals more control of their church
How did the petition cause divisions when debated in parliament?
Parliament could not reach a consensus on radical religious reform, dividing Parliament
When was the Root and Branch Bill defeated?
August 1641
What did all the Commons agree on?
The secular powers of bishops should be curtailed
What did Parliament decide despite the Root and Branch bill’s defeat?
To exclude the bishops from the House of Lords in December 1641 in the Bishops Exclusion Act
When was the Bishops Exclusion Act?
December 1641
When was the Ten Propositions?
June 1641
What was the Ten Propositions?
A document making it clear that the king would need to make some concessions
Who accepted the Ten Propositions?
Both the Lords and Commons on 24 June 1641
- defined parliament’s negotiating position in any discussion on a settlement
What were some of the contentious clauses placing limits on the royal prerogative which Charles could never accept?
- ‘Control’ of Charles’ wife Henrietta Maria and her Catholic connections loomed largest in the propositions
- Parliamentary input and control over the King’s councillors and those in the Privy Council -> prevent ‘evil councillors’
- Demanded that parliament have control of the religious education of any royal children -> prevents Arminianism and ‘crypto-Catholicism’
Did Charles accept the Ten propositions?
No, he rejected it so it could not be implemented
When was the Irish rebellion?
October 1641
Why was Parliament conflicted and divided about how to respond to the Irish rebellion?
As fervent anti-Catholics they wished to see the rising put down but they didn’t know what to do
- wished to see the Confederates’ rising put down
What was the main dilemma Parliament faced in the Irish rebellion?
- issue over allowing Charles an army to put down the rebellion
- could be used to subdue parliament
Why did the Irish rebellion further radicalise the Puritan faction?
To them, it was evidence of a ‘Popish Plot’
Who was John Pym?
A dogmatic Puritan ideologue who led radicalised opposition against Charles
What was Pym driven by?
Religious fanaticism: he was a resolute, serious Puritan
Why was Pym significant?
- He had initiated the legal attacks on Strafford and Laud, dismantling the personal rule
- Pym and others (Cromwell) wanted a King that was just a puppet figure, a figurehead with no real power
- Wanted a limited monarchy
What did more moderate Parliamentarians want for the monarchy?
The establishment of a constitutional monarchy
How did Pym want to limit the monarchy?
By having it in bounds of a constitution as a more extreme Parliament would have more power
Did Pym challenge the divine right?
No, not considered a real political radical in comparison to what would emerge in the course of civil wars
What did Pym merely want to do?
Tried to push the bounds of Parliament and take reform further
How can it be argued that Pym was radical?
The demand for the abolition of bishops was a sign that he was going way beyond simply dismantling the Personal rule
What were moderate parliamentarians concerned with?
Preserving the existing liturgy as an expression of the traditional social order against attack from lower-class religious radicals
What did Pym play a part in encouraging?
Demonstrations at Westminster against bishops and the prayer-book in the autumn of 1641
What did many MPs and Lords think about Pym by November 1641?
That he was a dangerous radical who aligned himself with the London ‘mob’ against the King
- played a role in creating a Royalist backlash
When was the Grand Remonstrance?
November 1641
What was the Grand Remonstrance?
A long, wide-ranging document that listed all the grievances against the king’s action in government (Church and state) since the beginning of his reign
How many MPs voted against and for the Grand Remonstrance?
148 voted against it and 159 in favour out of 307 who voted
- nearly 200 refused to vote at all
What did it demonstrate about Charles?
That he could clearly not be trusted with control of the army needed to be raised to crush the Irish rebellion
What did Pym plan to use the Grand Remonstrance for?
As part of his campaign to transfer control of the armed forces to parliament by undermining confidence in the King and his ministers and by demonstrating the integrity of Parliament
Why were moderates alarmed by the Grand Remonstrance’s language and content?
It was strongly anti-Catholic
What did the document entail?
Although it addressed religious concerns (anti-Catholic language), it also stated that an Assembly of Divines (parliament of clergy) was to be held separately at Westminister to discuss religious settlement
What did the Remonstrance emphasise the role of?
Bishops, papists and ‘malignant’ ministers and advisers
How did the Remonstrance describe the measures taken by the Long Parliament?
- Described their measures towards rectifying these grievances during its first year in office
- including the abolition of prerogative courts and illegal taxes, legislation for the regular summoning of Parliament, and a partial reform of the Church
How did the House of Commons present itself in the Remonstrance?
As the true defender of the King’s rightful prerogative, of the Protestant faith, of the privileges of Parliament and the liberties of the people
Who nominated the Assembly of Divines?
Nominated by Parliament to supervise ongoing reform of the Church
What did the Assembly of Divines demand?
Tthat the King’s ministers should be approved by Parliament, with the right of veto over those it considered unsuitable
Why was the Grand Remonstrance significant?
- Although the document was careful not to accuse the king directly, it was nevertheless seen as a direct attack on Charles
- Political issues were being deliberately and openly directed away from Westminster in order to involve the people themselves as a means of putting pressure on MPs
- The debate as to whether publish the Grand Remonstrance shows real division in Parliament, resulting in the formation of two sides that would fight the Civil War
What rumours were circulating about the Queen?
Rumours that members of the Long parliament were planning to impeach the Queen helped to prompt Charles to make his disastrous attempt to arrest the Five Members in January 1642
When was the attempted ‘armed coup’?
January 1642
What was the attempted ‘armed coup’ also called?
Five Members Coup
What happened in the attempted ‘armed coup’?
The King attempted his coup and tried to arrest leaders of the Parliament - the Five Members - hen he was frustrated by popular demonstrations and forced to flee from the capital
Why were people in Parliament demonstrating?
There was intense division in Parliament over the Grand Remonstrance and Militia bill
What did Charles announce on 3 January 1642?
His key opponents: Pym, Hampden, Haselrig, Holles, William Strode, and Edward Montagu
Why did Charles raise his armed coup?
Because of rumours that Henrietta Maria was going to get impeached by the Long Parliament
Who withdrew from Westminister in the following months?
A majority of the House of Lords and two-fifths of the House of Commons
Why did these groups withdraw from the House of Commons?
Either out of sympathy with the King or from unwillingness to be implicated in actions against him
Who raised armed forces making this an attempted ‘armed coup’?
Both the King with his supporters and Members who remained in Parliament at Westminster raised armed forces
What were the intentions of both sides when raising armed forces?
- No intention of fighting
- but each with the objective of deterring the other from resorting to violence
- each with the aim of strengthening its position in negotiations with the other
What were the consequences of the attempted ‘armed coup’?
- Pym could easily use this coup as further proof of the danger Charles posed and that the king could not be negotiated with
- the attempted coup led to popular demonstrations against Charles, which compelled him to take his family from London to Hampden Court for their safety
- the next time Charles was in London was for his public execution seven years later in 1649. By leaving the capital, Charles in effect gave control of London to parliament -> physical division of king and Parliament made negotiation more difficult, illustrative of the drift to conflict
- Charles’ attempted coup strengthened the position of parliamentary radicals -> pushed for the Exclusion Bill, which would forcefully prevent bishops sitting in the House of Lords
What are the main reasons why England drifted towards Civil War?
- Religion, Pym and the radical opposition
- Execution of Strafford (May 1641)
- Root and Branch Bill (May 1641)
- Parliament divides - emergence of moderate MPs
- Irish Rebellion (Occt 1641)
- Grand Remonstrance (November 1641)
- Attempted arrest of the five members (January 1642)
- King flees from London in January 1642 in fear of his life from the London ‘mob’
- Polarisation and preparation for war during 1642
What three events did Charles do to encourage the growth of radicalism: March 1641 - January 1642?
- March - May 1641: the Army Plot, encouraged by Charles and Henrietta Maria, sought to free Wentworth from the Tower of London against the wishes of Paliament
- August 1641: Charles tried to raise support amongst Scottish nobles - some were sympathetic - and created a Scottish Royalist party (October 1641: ‘The Incident’
- January 1642: Charles attempted (and failed) to arrest his leading opponents in Parliament in the Five Members’ coup attempt
What did Charles do on 5 January in the Five Members’ coup attempt?
Entered the House of Commons to arrest the Five Members, only to find that ‘the birds had already flown’
What did Charles do on 10 January in the Five Members’ coup attempt?
Escaped from London and set up his court at York
- threatened by London mob who wanted radical action
What did Parliament issue on the 5 March 1642?
The Militia Ordinance
What was the Militia Ordinance?
Appointed lord lieutenants and their deputies by the authority of Parliament without royal assent
- Parliament assumed control of the armed forces
What unprecedented step did the Militia Ordinance take?
Proclaimed that Parliament could act independently of the King in the interests of the nation’s defence
- Polarised Parliament and the monarchy as separate institutions, making P an autonomous body
What did Charles try and fail to do in March 1642?
To seize munitions at Hull
- Sir John Hotham prevented the Royal Entourage from entering Hull
What did Parliament try to pass as a final attempt at settlement in June 1642?
The Nineteen Propositions (June 1642)
What demands did the Nineteen propositions state?
- All Privy Councillors were to be approved by Parliament
- The five impeached MPs were to be pardoned
- Charles had to accept the Triennial Act and Militia Ordinance
- Parliament would direct a reformation of the Church
What did Charles quote in response to the Nineteen Propositions?
It would encourage the common people to, “set up for themselves… destroy…all distinctions of families and merit’
What did Charles issue in response to the Nineteen Propositions?
“The Answer to the Nineteen Propositions”
What did the response to the Nineteen Propositions outline?
- It portrayed the king as the force that would prevent anarchy
- It stated that Parliament’s proposals would lead too ‘a dark equal chaos of confusion’ in which the threat of popular rebellion was immense
What did Charles issue on the 6 June?
The first Commission of Array
What was the Commission of Array?
An ancient prerogative device that ordered to English nobility to raise a militia on the King’s behalf
How did the Commissions of Array divide communities?
They became sharply divided between those who wished to implement the commissions and those who tried to enforce the Militia Ordinance by raising troops for Parliament
When was the King’s answer read out and what did it say?
18 June
- rejected all the Propositions
What did the Royal Navy declare on 2 July?
Allegiance to Parliament and accepted the Earl of Warwick as its Admiral
What did Parliament appoint on 4 July?
A Commission of Safety to liaise between Westminster and Parliament’s armies in the field
- body that serves as a middle ground
Could the Nineteen Propositions be seen as a point of no return?
Rejection of the Nineteen Propositions is seen as the turning point between attempted conciliation between the King and Parliament, and thus a determining factor in the outbreak of war
- Charles’ motif of being unable to concede
When did Charles declare war on Parliament?
22 August 1642
How did Charles declare war on Parliament?
By raising the standard at Nottingham Castle
Did most people want war?
Most people remained neutral, deploring the conflict, seeking peace, and trying to avoid a commitment to either side
What was the political nation split into?
Royalists, parliamentarians and neutrals
Who did the parliamentarians have the support of?
Significant popular support amongst the ‘Middling Sort’: small traders, artisans and apprentices of London
Which area of England did the Parliamentarians have more support from?
Southeast England
What was the advantage of this area of England?
It was both the most populous and most wealthy region
- can impose a higher tax burn and have more soldiers
What was England fighting a civil war about?
- Conflict of ideas from emphasis on monarchy and development within Parliament that they represent the will of the Commonwealth
- ideological split
- increasing ideological divergence
What are the most decisive factors in whether wars were won or lost?
- Military technology and strategy
- ‘Local’ support
- administration, finance etc
What is one advantage Parliament had in terms of support from London?
Support of London was absolutely crucial (home of Parliament, wealthy and most important centre of trade)
- London’s population was around 550,000 out of total pop of 5 million
What is another advantage of Parliament in terms of support from towns and ports?
Held the sympathies of most of the towns and ports
- controlled the most economically advanced areas in the East and South
- succeeded in holding on to both the Royal Navy and most of the coastline
Who were willing to aid Parliament in its struggle with the King?
Scottish Presbyterians
When was the Battle of Edgehill?
October 1642
When were the Oxford Treaty negotiations?
1 Feb - 14 April 1643
Who proposed negotiations be opened with the king?
The Lords on 29 October 1642
Why did the Commons agree to negotiations with the king?
Under pressure from opinion in the City of London and country
What led to the Oxford Treaty negotiations?
Parliament’s lacklustre performance at Edgehill as well as general revulsion at the outbreak of war
What were the peace petitions and neutrality pacts of 1642 and early 1643 significant of?
An accumulation of great effort to end the war
What did the collapse of these negotiations resemble?
The definite end of the first phase in the war
What did Charles declare (quote)?
Whoever had drawn up the negotiations only wanted ‘to make things worse and worse.’
