Charles I: The Second Civil War, 1648-49 Flashcards
How did Charles’ personality lead to the Second Civil War?
The Second Civil War broke out because of Charles’ duplicitous behaviour which led Parliament to withdraw all further offers of negotiation (Vote of No Addresses)
- Charles had the power to determine the trajectory of all negotiations
How did Charles’ staunch belief in the DRoK lead to the Second Civil War?
Charles’ relentless belief in the Divine Right of Kings meant that he would never accept a compromise, negating a peaceful settlement being able to be reached
What legislation by Parliament was the point of no return for negotiations with the King?
Parliament’s decision to pass the Vote of No Addresses (January 1648) was the point at which all negotiation with the King broke down, setting the stage for further military conflict
What allowed the conflict in 1648 to emerge?
The Scottish Engagement which had reignited the fears of Parliament from 1641 that Charles could not be trusted
Why was Charles responsible for no peaceful settlement being reached?
He did not wish to accept the outcomes of the war, refusing to settle peacefully and playing for time whilst he secretly plotted
Why was Parliament responsible for no peaceful settlement being reached?
Parliament failed to address some of their problems after the First Civil War e.g. they were divided into two hostile camps, the Presbyterians and the Independents
Why did people begin to support the ‘Scottish’ solution?
- There had been no effective religious settlement
- They were war-weary and wanted a return to peace and normality
- this antagonised those radicals who wanted toleration for Protestant nonconformists
Who had been radicalised by the First Civil War?
The rank and file of the NMA radicalised by experience of war and the influence of the Levellers
- split with the Grandees
Where did Charles escape from and when?
Charles escaped from Hampton Court in November 1647
Where did Charles flee to?
The Isle of Wight, mistakenly thinking he had supporters there, but ended up in the custody of supporters of Parliament
What plots did Charles engage in to re-start the Civil War?
From Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight, Charles continued to bargain with parties and began to negotiate with the Scots to help him campaign against Parliament
Why did Charles believe he could defeat the NMA?
They were only 15,000 men strong
- needed a military force so turned to the Scots
How many troops did the Scots command in comparison?
While the army of Cromwell’s had roughly 9,000 troops, the Scots commanded 24,000
What was the agreement with the Scots called?
The Engagement
When was the Engagement signed?
26 December 1647
What did Charles agree to in his secret treaty with the Scots?
The Scots would invade England on Charles’ behalf if he agreed to a three-year period of Presbyterianism
- He would not be obliged to have any other restrictions to his prerogative powers unlike the terms of the deals proposed by Parliament and the army
What did Charles confidence in the Engagement being able to restore his power signify?
Since the end of the First Civil War, Charles had not been taking the negotiations with Parliament and the Army seriously, given that his ultimate aim was to fully restore his power, and given that he was willing to use military force to do so
Why did the Scots agree to the Engagement?
- They feared the anti-Presbyterian religious policies of the independents in the New Model Army and Parliament
- They saw a chance to advance the power of the Presbyterian Peace Party in Parliament, and so defeat the Independents once and for all
- Chance to: 1)Finally disband the NMA and 2) suppress Independency
Who was the main threat to the Scottish Kirk by 1647?
The English Independents
What did the Scots believe was the best way to defend Scottish Presbyterianism from the Independent NMA?
To make an alliance with the King, persuaded by the Duke of Hamilton, Charles’ main ally in Scotland
What divisions were there between the Presbyterian MPs in Parliament and the Independents in the NMA?
Many Presbyterians were horrified at the radical Independents religious sects and the prospect of religious toleration
How did the Charles use the Engagement to his advantage?
Hoped the invasion of the Presbyterian Scots would encourage the English Presbyterians in Parliament to join him to defeat the NMA and suppress Independency
Who did Charles also try to bring into his anti-Parliamentary alliance?
The Catholics of the Irish Confederation
What did the threat of a Scottish invasion and another civil war encourage Parliament to pass?
It hardened the parliamentarians and the army and in January 1648, as a result of the Engagement, Parliament passed the Vote of No Addresses
