Disputes with Parliament, 1625-29 (S1.5/6)

Question 1

When were Charles’ parliaments, and how many did he have?

Answer 1

Three

> 1625 Parliament
1626 Parliament
1628-1629 Parliament

Question 2

What were the main points discussed at the 1625 Parliament?

Answer 2

• Charles’ desire for £1 million to finance operations in the Thirty Years War
• Parliament only granting Charles one year of tonnage and poundage
• Arminianism
• Buckingham’s increased power and influence

Question 3

What was discussed at the 1625 Parliament, in terms of finance?

Answer 3

• Charles sought £1 million to finance a war against Spain
  > Didn’t explain his position; Parliament grants him two subsidies totalling £140,000

Parliament granted him one year of tonnage and poundage, denying him a lifetime grant (as usually done)
> Seen as a direct attack on his prerogative

Question 4

What was discussed at the 1625 Parliament, in terms of religion?

Answer 4

Parliament attacked Charles’ support for divisive Aminian cleric Montagu
> Charles appointed him as his royal chaplain in response
> Clear sign that Charles approved anti-Calvinist sentiments and that he disregarded Parliament

Question 5

What was discussed at the 1625 Parliament, in terms of favourites?

Answer 5

Buckingham was attacked, and accused of;
> Monopolising power
> Mismanaging royal finances
> Failing as Lord High Admiral

Question 6

How did the 1625 Parliament end?

Answer 6

Charles could not afford to have Buckingham impeached, and so he immediately dissolved it.

Question 7

What was the legacy of the 1625 Parliament?

Answer 7

• Buckingham encouraged the use of the divine right to rule
• Charles would use extra-parliamentary arbitrary revenue-raising measures
• Wanted to deal with ‘trouble-making MPs’

Question 7

What happened in 1625, in terms of foreign policy?

Answer 7

Cadiz expedition
La Rochelle

Question 8

What was the 1625 Cadiz expedition, and what did it set out to do?

Answer 8

• Naval expedition against an important Spanish naval base
  > Plan put forward by Buckingham
  > Aim was to capture treasure ships, loot towns, weaken their supply chain and present Parliament with a striking victory

Question 9

What was the result of the 1625 Cadiz expedition?

Answer 9

Ten thousand troops descened on Cadiz
> Many hundreds died as a result of heavy drinking, leaving them incapable to defend a counter-attack
> Failed to seize the Spanish treasure fleet, were battered by heavy storms, and many died due to a lack fo food

Question 10

How much did the 1625 Cadiz expedition end up costing?

Answer 10

£250,000, achieving nothing.

Question 11

What happened with Huguenots in La Rochelle in 1625?

Answer 11

An English naval squadron, lent to Louis XIII, had helped to destroy a fleet of Huguenots based in La Rochelle
> To observers, it looked as if England had aided in the defeat of fellow Protestants (which they had)

Question 12

What did the 1625 foreign policy disasters mean for Charles and Buckingham?

Answer 12

It meant that when Parliament was recalled in 1626, Charles and Buckingham would face a great deal of opposition.

Question 13

How did Charles deal with his leading opponents from the 1625 Parliament?

Answer 13

• Made leading opponents (i.e. Coke and Wentworth) into country sheriffs (ineligible to be an MP)
  > Attempted to prevent Digby (avowed enemy of Buckingham) but failed

Question 14

Why were MPs in the 1626 Parliament immediately antagonised?

Answer 14

Charles asked the anti-Calvinist William Laud to preach the opening sermon, who stressed obedience to the King.

Question 15

What three problems were the main focus points in the 1626 Parliament?

Answer 15

• Continued collection of tonnage and poundage
• Humiliation at Cadiz
• Buckingham

Question 16

What did MPs do first in the 1626 Parliament?

Answer 16

Began impeaching proceedings against Buckingham
> Led by Eliot and Digges
> Drew up a list of charges and refused to vote on any taxation until the Lords condemned and sentenced Buckingham

Question 17

How did Charles respond to impeachment procceedings against Buckingham?

Answer 17

Charles responded by locking Eliot and Digges up in the Tower of London
> When forced to let them return, Charles announced the dissolution of Parliament as the only way to avoid his impeachment; when asked to delay, he said ‘not by a second’

Question 18

What threat did Charles’ make about the future of Parliament, during the 1626 Parliament?

Answer 18

“Remember that parliaments are altogether in my power for their calling, sitting and dissolution.”

Question 19

What did Charles’ threat about the future of Parliament heighten?

Answer 19

• Heightened suspicions of absolutism
  > Reliance on emergency financial measures from Parliament reinforced their negative impression, which was only strengthened as he attempted to save Buckingham

Question 20

What happened in 1627, in relation to foreign policy?

Answer 20

Ile de Ré; war with France

Question 20

What was the plan in Ile de Re in 1627?

Answer 20

Led by Buckingham as Lord High Admiral
> Expedition to aid Protestant Huguenots and reverse their failure in 1625

Question 21

What was the result at Il de Re in 1627?

Answer 21

Buckingham personally led the expedition
> Catastrophic failure; only 3000/8000 troops returned home
> One disgruntled soldier was John Felton, who would end up assassinating Buckingham.

Question 22

What were Huguenots?

Answer 22

Huguenots were French Protestants
> Persecuted minority, as the French were Catholics, and saw the Huguenots as a threat

Question 23

What did Coke label Buckingham in 1628?

Answer 23

“the cause of all our miseries”

Question 24

What were the key points of Charles’ third and final Parliament in 1628?

Answer 24

• Disastrous failure of La Rochelle expedition
• Finance for further expeditions
  > Charles only recalled Parliament on grounds that there would be no more demands for Buckingham’s impeachment

Question 25

Why was there tension between Charles and his first two Parliaments?

Answer 25

1625 Parliament
> Only granted him £140,000
> Denied lifetime supply of tonnage and poundage
> Charles threatened leading critics like Coke

1626 Parliament
> Mansfield, Cadiz expeditions; La Rochelle (1625)
> Continued collection of tonnage and poundage
> Rise of Arminianism and Laud
> Buckingham

Question 26

How did Charles mobilise religion in support of him and the forced loans?

Answer 26

• Had Maynwaring and Sibthorpe (leading Arminian clerics) to preach sermons justifying his actions by virtue of his Divine Right; ordered Abott to publish his sermons (was reluctant, as he was anti-Arminian)
  > Commission of bishops, including Laud, bypassed him and licensed them
  > From this point onwards, Laud’s influence in the CofE steadily increased (causing profound unease)

Question 26

What was martial law?

Answer 26

Martial law​
> Trial by court martial and summary sentences carried out without the right to appeal, due to the presence of troops in towns and villages causing trouble.

Question 27

What were the underlying problems leading up to the 1628 Parliament, in terms of his religious policy?

Answer 27

Fears over Charles’ religious views (York House Conference) and his support for Arminianism
> Many MPs and peers felt that the King did not understand the constitution as they did, and they were determined to get Charles to accept that there were limits to his powers.​

Question 27

What were the underlying problems leading up to the 1628 Parliament, in terms of Charles’ actions and domestic policy?

Answer 27

Charles’ unpopular measures and abuse of his Royal Prerogative
> The forced loan. (1627)
> Billeting and martial law.​
> The Five Knights’ case (1627)
> His stubbornness, inflexibility and lack of political skill; still annoyed by tonnage and poundage ​

Question 28

What did Charles call for at the beginning of the Third Parliament in 1628, and what did MPs respond with?

Answer 28

Charles’ opening speech called for the immediate granting of taxes to continue the wars.​
> MPs decided that no money would be granted unless their various grievances were addressed. ​
> Led by Eliot, Coke and Wentworth, the King’s opponents drew up the Petition of Right.​

Question 28

What were the underlying problems leading up to the 1628 Parliament, in terms of his foreign policy?

Answer 28

Legacy of the Mansfeld expedition of 1625.​
The failed Cadiz expedition of 1625.​
The failed Isle of Rhé expedition of 1627.​
> Widespread and increasing hatred of Charles’ favourite and chief minister, Buckingham.​
> Charles and Buckingham were determined to send another force to La Rochelle.

Question 29

What was the 1628 Petition of Right?

Answer 29

A declaration of established rights, containing four demands;

> No taxation without the consent of Parliament
No imprisonment without cause
No billeting
No martial law

Question 30

How did Charles respond to the 1628 Petition of Right?

Answer 30

Charles refused to give his consent to the Petition, but he was in desperate need of money.​
> Consulted advisors; on the understanding he could enforcce his powers anyway, he consented to the petition in June 1628
> Parliament then granted the subsidies the King needed

Question 31

After Charles agreed to the Petition of Right in June 1628, what did MPs do next, and how did Charles respond?

Answer 31

When MPs resumed their criticisms of Buckingham, however, Charles prorogued Parliament, intending to recall it the following year. ​

Question 32

When was Buckingham assassinated?

Answer 32

August 1628

Question 33

What were the consequences of Buckingham’s assassination on the relationship between Charles and Parliament?

Answer 33

With Buckingham out of the way, Charles was hoping that Parliament would be more pliable. ​
> Some who previously disputed with the King changed sides, including Wentworth

Buckingham’s death also ushered in a period of greatly improved relations between Charles and Henrietta Maria ​

Question 34

How did Charles regard the MP’s demands in January 1629?

Answer 34

Charles regarded Parliament’s criticisms as an attack upon his authority and briefly adjourned the House, hoping to arrange a compromise with his opponents. ​

Question 35

After Parliament returned in January 1629, what were MPs focused on?

Answer 35

Led by Eliot and Pym, Parliament immediately began to complain about the growing influence of the Arminian faction in the Church of England, which Puritans regarded as crypto-Catholic.​
> Further complaints were made on the ongoing collection of tonnage and poundage (not granted by Parliament, therefore contrary to the Petition of Right)

Question 36

Upon the return of Parliament in March 1629, what did MPs present Charles with?

Answer 36

The King’s opponents, led by Eliot, issued a protestation known as the Three Resolutions. ​

Question 37

What were the three clauses of the 1629 ‘Three Resolutions’?

Answer 37

Against the growth of Arminianism.​
Against the levying of Tonnage and Poundage.​
Against the actions of those who paid it.​

Question 38

When Charles attempted to adjourn Parliament following the announcement of the Three Resolutions, what did Parliament do?

Answer 38

The Commons rebelled​
> MPs ordered the Speaker to remain seated until the Three Resolutions had been passed. ​
> The Commons then voted their own adjournment.​

Question 39

How did Charles respond to the Commons rebelling in March 1629?

Answer 39

Charles announced the dissolution of Parliament in March 1629. ​
> He defended his domestic and religious policy and asserted the Crown’s right to collect tonnage and poundage without parliamentary consent
> Denounced his opponents and imprisoned some (like Eliot and Holles)

Question 40

After March 1629, what did Charles resolve to do in terms of parliament?

Answer 40

The King resolved to govern without Parliament, and embarked upon the eleven-year period of his Personal Rule.​