Restoration England - Crown and Parliament Flashcards
1
Q
what happened to Charles after his father’s execution?
A
- after his father was killed, Charles initially worked to try to take the throne
- he still had support, particularly in Scotland
- despite religious differences, Charles was crowned King of Scotland in 1651 but his supporters were soon defeated by Cromwell’s men and Charles was forced to escape
- it took him six weeks to flee England, including many narrow escapes from Cromwell’s forces
2
Q
what did Charles do in exile?
A
- Charles spent much of his time in France, in the royal court of his cousin, Louis XIV
- Charles’s experiences of how Louis ruled France made the need to compromise with England’s Parliament particularly frustrating to him.
- King Louis was known as the Sun King and his court was famous for being grand and colourful. Charles’s own royal court would have much in common with his cousins.
- when it came, Charles seized the opportunity to return to England, even though it meant compromising, because it gave him the chance to live a more independent life than he had done in France
3
Q
what was the state of England after Cromwell?
A
- Oliver Cromwell died in September 1658.
- his successor, Richard, was not able to command the same respect that his father had, and just seven months after becoming lord Protector a group of senior officers forced him from power
- the rump parliament, which Oliver Cromwell had dissolved, returned
- on Christmas Eve 1659, the MPs who had been forced to leave Parliament in 1648 were allowed to return in what was known was the long Parliament. This included some MPs who were more sympathetic to the monarchy
4
Q
how was the monarchy restored?
A
- on 4th April 1660, from his base in the Netherlands, Charles issued the Declaration of Breda, which pledged to pardon the majority of those who had fought against his father
- Charles returned from exile and rode into London on 29 May. This event is known as the Restoration of the monarchy and the period of Charles’s reign is commonly known as the Restoration.
- After the unhappy years of Cromwell and the disorder that followed his death many in England saw Charles’s coronation as a return to the natural order of things
5
Q
how was the effect of the Commonwealth a challenge to Charles II?
A
- The country had a powerful professional, or standing, army, which remained loyal to Parliament. It was clear what would happen to a monarch who failed to govern fairly
- Charles would need to ensure that his position was secure without appearing to repeat the actions of his father
- after careful negotiation, the army was disbanded but the king’s relationship with Parliament remained a delicate one
6
Q
how was the aftermath of war a challenge to Charles II?
A
- the civil war had divided England between supporters of the king and supporters of parliament
- communities and families had been split and these wounds would not heal quickly
- as well as emotional scars, thousands had died in battle and homes had been destroyed
- supporters of the king had been punished by having their land confiscated
- it was now up to Charles to heal the wounds of war
- one of his first acts was to return some of the confiscated lands to royalists. Charles’s decision to be a ‘public’ monarch was also seen as an important part of this healing process
7
Q
how were religious divisions a challenge to Charles II?
A
- one of the major causes of the Civil War was religious difference
- there were different types of nonconformists but all wanted greater religious freedom and mistrusted the Anglicans in Parliament
- England in 1660 was hugely divided and a religious settlement would be needed from Charles
8
Q
how did Charles II deal with those who had fought against his father?
A
- the Indemnity and Oblivion Act of 1660 put into law what the Declaration of Breda had promised
- the prominent regicides, those involved in Charles I’s trial and execution who had not fled abroad, were put on trial and then hanged, drawn and quartered
- Cromwell’s body was dug up so that the same punishment could be carried out on him
9
Q
what was Charles’s first parliament?
A
- Charles’s first parliament was known as the Convention Parliament
- it was fairly evenly split between committed royalists and Parliamentarians who were unsure about the return of the king. This meant that Charles would have to work hard to gain the support of half of his Parliament
- A major cause of the Civil War had been the issue of tax. In order to avoid more conflict, it was agreed that the king would be given a sum of money each year to run his government
10
Q
what parliament was formed when Charles was crowned King?
A
- Once Charles was crowned, the Cavalier Parliament was formed.
- this new parliament was overwhelmingly royalist and very supportive of Charles
11
Q
what was the Cavalier Parliament?
A
- the cavalier parliament was formed on 8 May 1661 and lasted 18 years, overseeing several significant events and changes. Although Charles had the support of much of this Parliament. their relationship was far from smooth, especially over money, religion and foreign policy
- the Cavalier Parliament period can be roughly split into three parts, in which different individuals and groups became most powerful: the Clarendon ministry, the cabal ministry and the danby ministry
12
Q
who was lord Clarendon?
A
- As an MP before the Civil War he became a close advisor to King Charles I and continued to advise him during the war
- he served Charles II in exile and became a very loyal, close advisor
- his daughter married the king’s brother, the Duke of York
- as Charles II’s Chief Minister he led the Clarendon Ministry until 1667
13
Q
how long did the Clarendon Ministry last?
A
1660 - 1667
14
Q
how did foreign policy affect the Clarendon Ministry?
A
- the second Anglo-Dutch War began in March 1665 and was very unpopular with much of the Parliament and the public. Charles had run out of money to fight and was reluctant to ask Parliament for more. In 1667, the problem reached a crisis point when the Dutch raided the Medway at the mouth of the River Thames -> the Clarendon Ministry was now associated with an embarrassing attack from a foreign rival.
- the King acted decisively. He did not want to be personally blamed and so the Clarendon Ministry was removed from power and Parliament forced Clarendon himself into exile
- by removing his old friend Clarendon from office, Charles showed his willingness to do as Parliament wished but also avoided taking the blame for the disaster itself
15
Q
how did religion influence the Clarendon Ministry?
A
- under the influence of the Clarendon Ministry, Parliament passed a series of laws making it harder to follow a religion other than that of the Church of England (Anglicanism). These became known as the Clarendon Code.
- Charles was not pleased; he believed in much more freedom for Catholics and Nonconformist protestants, but accepted the laws to avoid conflict with Parliament. The Clarendon Code was a clear attack on the freedom of nonconformists.
- the Cavalier Parliament made clear that Anglicanism was the only form of Protestantism that was acceptable
