Charles & James II - 1660-1688

Question 1

What did the declaration of Breda propose?

Answer 1

• Cooperation and harmony in the political nation
• An amnesty for actions taken during the interregnum, except those who signed the death warrant of Charles I
• The settlement of outstanding issues in partnership with Parliament

Question 2

Restoration settlement Political - militia act 1661

Answer 2

The king had supreme control over the army

Question 3

Restoration settlement Political - revised Triennial act 1664

Answer 3

Said not to enforce the calling of parliament every 3 years

Question 4

How did political elements of the restoration settlement help Charles II?

Answer 4

Reduced the power of parliament

Changed the political landscape of the country

Question 5

Laudian churches, puritans

Restoration settlement Religion - Act of uniformity 1662

Answer 5

• Restored Laudian churches with strict conditions which resulted in 1,800 ministers being expelled
• Also ensured only few puritians would be able to sit on borough corporations which governed towns/parts

Question 6

Restoration settlement fiancial - Heath tax

Answer 6

• Introduced in 1661
• Based upon the number of hearths in a household
• Only 1/3 of the expected £250,000 was collected - displeased Charles

Question 7

1672

Charles wanted religious toleration

Answer 7

1672 - attempted to pass the declaration of indulgence - included catholics try to and give them freedom and stop religious persecution

Attempted to suspend act of uniformity in 1662

Question 8

treaty of France

Charles wanted to be free of parliamentary control

Answer 8

Treaty with France signed at Dover 1670 - accepted subsides from France as part of the treaty which gave him freedom from depending on Parliament

Question 9

second anglo-dutch war

Charles wanted to be allies with France - a catholic power

Answer 9

1665 - embarked on second anglo-ducth war due to commercial rivarly but really to help the French destroy Ducth protestants - promised to convert to Catholicsm when the time was right

Question 10

lord high admiral

Charles II had catholic sympathies

Answer 10

Appointed his catholic brother as Lord High Admiral to lead the war against the Dutch

Question 11

great fire of London

Charles II had catholic sympathies

Answer 11

• Great fire of London of 1666 was blamed on Catholics and Charles allowed Parliement to blame Edward Hyde who was against the war with the dutch

Question 12

What happened in August 1678?

Answer 12

Anglican priest Titus Oates approached Edmund Berry with a story of a plot organised by French Jesuits to kill Charles and replace him with his catholic brother

Question 13

Why wasn’t the plot credible at first?

Answer 13

The story lacked credibility and the character of Oates was doubted

Question 14

What confirmed Oates’ story?

Answer 14

Godfrey was found dead in a London park and now the plot seemed credible

Question 15

popish plot

What happened as a result of this plot?

Answer 15

• Investigations followed
• Correspondence was found written between Edward Coleman and French agents
• Rumours meant there was now a full political crisis and Parliament attempted to pass a law excluding James from the succession

Question 16

Why did the exclusion crisis happen?

Answer 16

People feared James would adopt a pro catholic approach and force these views with absolute monarchy

Question 17

Exclusion crisis - 1679 exlusion bill

Answer 17

First exclusion bill was stopped from going to the house of Lords as Charles dissolved Parliament

Question 18

Exlusion crisis - 1680

Answer 18

A new parliament presented another bill, defeated by the Lords due to heavy pressure from the King

Question 19

What happened when Shaftesbury proposed another exlusion bill?

Answer 19

Charles dissolved Parliament and had him arrested for treason

Question 20

What did the 1680 bill prevent?

Answer 20

Prevented a whig triumph and created a delay until a time when Popish plot fears started to subside as well as Whig support - 35 Catholics had been executed or fled into exile

Question 21

What happened in April 1683?

Answer 21

• A group of old Cromwellian soldiers plotted to kill Charles at Rye House and replace him with his illigitimate son - Duke of Monmouth
• Plot failed and they were arrested

Question 22

What did Charles II do in response to the Rye house plot?

Answer 22

• Allowed Charles to discredit the Whigs
• Avoid calling Parliament for the rest of his reign (going against Triennial Act of 1664)

Question 23

Why was Charles able to avoid calling Parliament?

Answer 23

• They were weak
• Essentially broken so were unable to put up a fight against Charles

Question 24

James’ personal attributes/life

Answer 24

• Used his royal prerogative to establish what he wanted if Parliament refused - such as freedom for Catholics

Question 25

What happened in 1687?

Answer 25

James issued a new Declaration of Indulgence, granting freedom of worship to both Catholic and Protestants

Question 26

What happened in 1688?

Answer 26

• James’ wife gave birth to a son, this instilled fear into all as they knew this child would be raised a Catholic

Question 27

church, reduction in power

What happened in 1688?

Answer 27

James renewed the Declaration of indulgence and ordered it be read from the pulpit in every parish forcing the Church to accept its own reduction in power

Question 28

Why was James not liked?

Answer 28

People thought he was too sympathetic towards Catholics

Plotting to re-establish Catholicism in England with French support

Attack on the Church