James' Personality 2 - AQA STUART BRITAIN Flashcards
What were James’ main flaws?
Over-reliance on court favourites.
Ruled for long periods without Parliament.
James claimed his power was appointed to him by God, that he was a god himself and judged all but could not be judged himself. However, he had to rule his actions according to his laws.
What actions did James make which showed he was not absolutist?
James condemned a book that said he was above the law.
In 1610 the Commons complained about James issuing proclamations to create new crimes not recognised by common law, so James consulted two chief justices and accepted their judgement.
Sir Edward Coke was a lawyer who refused to acknowledge James as the fountain of justice and championed common law courts over royal proclamations. He was dismissed in 1616.
What issues did James arrive to in England?
James arrived in England with problems such as population increase, price inflation, the growth of gentry middling landowners class, and expansion of London, alongside religious divides from the Reformation. On top of this, James had the issue of being at war with Spain, unable to afford an effective standing army, and having inefficient central bureaucracy and local administrators who were unpaid.
Anthony Weldon and which modern historian criticised James?
Sir Anthony Weldon called James the ‘wisest fool in Christendom,’ as he had an overly large tongue, wore heavily quilted clothes to protect from knife attacks, and never washed.
DH Willson, a modern historian, condemned James for ‘sad irresolution,’ and ‘weaker nature.’
What were SJ Houston’s comments on James?
SJ Houston, in contrast, concluded that James was ‘an exceptional man whose qualities fell sadly short of their highest achievement.’
However, James was considered to have ‘sowed the seeds of revolution and disaster,’ leading to Charles’ reign.
Summarise ‘The British Problem.’
James was the first monarch to rule England, Wales, Ireland, AND Scotland as James VI.
He could heal border sores along North England and use Scotland troops and settlers to dominate Ireland.
However, as shown in Spain when attempting to unify Portugal, Catalonia, the Netherlands, and Italian peninsula, resistance could have followed.
All countries had different legal, economic, political, and social conditions, and religion was divided across the countries, with religious diversity which would threaten to breed national suspicions.
Summarise ‘The Financial Problem.’
While expenditure rose, royal income fell.
Sources of income were crown lands, wardships (the right to estates held by feudal military service was given to heirs when they were of age and marriages were arranged for them), customs dues, and parliament subsidies.
Income fell as crown lands were sold, opposition noted to wardships, customs were farmed out by merchants from private syndicates, and subsidies bore little relation to the incomes of taxpayers.
Elizabeth cut expenditure but during wartime when there was desperate shortage, forced loans unapproved by Parliament were made. This was a threat to the ancient constitution.
Summarise ‘The Religious Problem.’
In 1559 the Religious Settlement was a compromise which prevented English Catholics from outright rebelling. However, this promised no more reform to Protestants causing debate over their future, alongside the fact that Protestants disagreed within Church. The future of Protestantism was not secure.
What did Jenny Wormald observe?
Jenny Wormald investigated James’ reputation of being politically inept and responsible for parliamentary opposition which would lead to civil war as James couldn’t cope with problems identified. She argued with James having been successful in Scotland since 1585, he can’t have been inept in England. Anthony Weldon who criticised James in Court and Character of James I hated the Scots as well, making him biased. Historians have based arguments on his views. Moreover, James fired him from his minor court office after he made such comments.
Why was James and his court under fire?
James had peculiar habits such as naming ministers and courtiers such as Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, ‘my little beagle,’ and ‘my little wife waffe.’
He feared assassination in an age where military prowess was required.
The Jacobean court had a corrupt and decadent reputation as James was reported as being drunken and also displayed public affected for male favourites such as Robert Carr and George Villiers.
