Personal Rule - 1625-1640 Flashcards
What financial initiatives did Charles introduce to improve the crown? - spain
- Charles signed treaty of Madrid in 1630, ending hostilities with Spain
- Reduced his annual spending on war from £500,000 between 1625-1629 to less than £70,000 in the 1630’s
How was ship money established?
- Worth 200,000 a year to the exchequer
- ship money wasn’t new, intended to be used for the upkeep of the navy & most monarchs only used it once or twice per , however Charles introduced it as an annual tax in 1636, increasing its value
1634 — first year Charles levied it, carried out in the traditional way and provoked little comment
1635 — it was repeated & extended to inland countries
1636 — became annual tax, provided Charles with sufficient income to be independent of Parliament
How was tonnage and poundage used?
Charles turned his attentions to reorganising the management of crown lands, adding new impositions to the collection of tonnage and poundage (taxes on imported and exported goods in England) and reviving a number of feudal payments such as fines for building on royal forests
How did monopoly’s improve crowns finances?
The practice of selling monopoly licenses was revived, which would give an individual or company the right to dominate production of certain products, claiming it improved both the quality and supply eg; in 1632 Charles granted a monopoly to the society of soap makers of Westminster
Caused public debates in 1641, opponents claimed it cost people their job and saw prices increase
Distraint on knighthood?
A medical custom whereby all those with land over 40 pounds per annum were expected toto be knighted by the king, if they failed to present themselves at Charles’ coronation, they were fined
9,000 individuals were charged
Which denomination opposed Charles’ financial and religious reforms?
Puritans
Which denomination did Charles decide to promote many from?
Arminian
What did Laud insist on with regards to the clergy?
Insisted in the conformity of the clergy
What did Charles and Laud demand?
- Decoration of the Churches
- Strict adherence to rules
- Formality in place of Puritan emphasis on individual prayer and preaching
What happened to ministers who opposed these changes?
Dissenting ministers were punished by the star chamber
What changes were implemented?
- Organs were installed
- Fonts were decorated
- Statues and colour returned
- Communion table moved from centre of the congregation to the east side of the Church
What was forbidden for Puritan gentry members?
Buying up the right to appoint the local minister or right to collect tithes that formed his salary
Who did Charles welcome and why was this a threat?
Charles welcomed ambassador from the Pope in 1635
Shared love of art - close relationship
Posed a threat as Parliament were worried about the growth of Catholic influence
What did John Hampden to?
1636 - refused to pay ship money and initiated a legal challenge
What was the outcome of the case?
Judges in the court found in the King’s favour - had ears cut off
What happened in 1633?
Charles visited Scotland to be crowned King there
What happened in 1636?
Charles issued a book of canons, listed instructions about how they should lay out there Churches
What happened in 1637?
Charles introduced English prayer book to Scottish churches. When it was read at St Giles Cathedral, a riot broke out
What happened in 1638?
Scottish clergy and nobility met and drew up a national covenant to defend the Kirk
What happened in 1639?
Both Charles and the Covenanters raised armies but Charles, lacking money, had to rely on Militias from England
Realising he wouldn’t win - signed Treaty of Berwick in 1639 (ending first bishops war)
Why did Charles relying on Militias from England cause problems?
Taxpayers strike as members of the gentry were unhappy with the idea of funding a war with the Scottish
Wentworth - suggests calling a parliament
1639-40
What happened when the short Parliament assembled?
April 1640
Charles faced petitions against personal rule
Charles demanded money from Parliament
Commons debated
Charles dissolved Parliament after 3 weeks
What battle did Charles lose in august 1640?
August 1640
Charles was defeated at the Battle of Newburn
What did Charles sign in October 1640?
October 1640
Charles signed treaty of Ripon with the Scottish
Forced to pay £850 a day while they occupied Newcastle
Who were the leaders of the Puritan resistance group?
John Pym, the earl of Warwick, the Duke of Bedford and Lord Saye & sele
What did John Hampden do and when?
Hampden refused to pay ship money in 1636 and initiated a legal challenge, which Charles used as a test case
What was the outcome of the case?
The judges in the court of the King’s bench found in the king’s favour, narrow vote 7 to 5
What did the star chamber do and when?
Sentenced 3 puritan writers who had published attacks on the government, to have their ears cut off and be branded on the cheeks before being imprisoned at the king’s pleasure
Who did Charles welcome in 1635 and why was this a threat?
Charles welcomed an ambassador from the Pope (who was Catholic). The ambassador had a
close relationship with Charles, which was a threat as Parliament were worried about the
Catholic threat and influence
