Stuarts - Chapter 5: Parliament Relations (Charles) Flashcards
What were problems in Charles’ 1625 Parliament? How did Charles respond to criticism?
Buckingham was in bedchamber (thought he had too much influence & was also a known supporter of Arminians)
Religious tension as Parliament attacks Charles I’s support of Arminian cleric Montagu
Charles needed £1 mil for war with Spain (religious + Spanish Match) but was only given 2 subsidies and tonnage and poundage for 1 year
⟶ normally allowed for reign so Charles ignored Parliament and carried on after 1 year
Charles ended up dissolving Parliament due to criticism
What happened in 1625 that meant Charles had to call for Parliament 1626?
Foreign policy - Failure in Cadiz 1625
What was the failure at Cadiz
and why did everyone blame Buckingham?
A naval expedition against Spain by English/Dutch forces because they wanted to gain respect after the political stress in James’ reign (eg. Spanish Match) that failed to capture Cadiz and capture the gold that was being transported to South America
Parliament blamed Buckingham as he was Lord High Admiral
What immediately caused religious tension in 1626 Parliament?
Charles got the anti Calvinist, William Laud, to preach the opening sermon
What did Parliament do in 1626 to Buckingham? What was the main reasoning for this?
Parliament blamed Buckingham for Cadiz, not only for being the Lord High Admiral
This meant MPs started impeachment proceedings against him
Who did Charles blame for the failure at Cadiz 1625?Why did this cause tension?
Charles blamed Parliament for the failure as he believed they didn’t grant enough funding
This caused tension as Parliament blamed Charles’ favourite, Buckingham, so tried to get him impeached which angered him as he disliked criticism so working together became even more difficult
Who did Charles remove from Parliament in 1626?
Critics eg. Coke and Wentworth, as well as people who threatened his position or disliked Buckingham eg. Earl of Arundel
What did the Earl of Bristol have evidence of and bring to attention of 1626 Parliament? How did Charles respond?
Bristol had evidence of Charles and Buckingham bribing Spanish Courtiers during the Spanish Match 1623
Charles arrested Bristol for treason to protect himself and Buckingham
How did 1626 Parliament end and why?
Charles dissolved 1626 Parliament to stop Buckingham’s impeachment as he was his favourite
Who were the Huguenots? What did Charles do to them that angered Parliament 1625?
French Protestants that were targeted by Louis XIII as they were a threat to Catholicism
In 1625 Charles helped defeat them (Married to French Princess so had to honour marriage terms) by giving French 8 warships, which angered Parliament who were both anti-Spanish and French
Why was 1628 Parliament called?
Crown funds were exhausted by La Rochelle 1627 so Charles called Parliament specifically to gain funds
Why did England reverse Crown policy on French in 1627?
England found out about a secret treaty France made with Spain (Britain’s enemy) in 1626 and France started to expand navy (to threaten Britain)
Explain the events of La Rochelle 1627
In 1627, after Charles found out about France’s treaty with Spain and Britain were outraged that they had given France warships previously so changed foreign policy to ally with Huguenots
Buckingham was put in charge or reversing crown policy on French and so Buckingham attacked and seiged the French at La Rochelle as they were now allied with Huguenots, however he failed (as the ladders were too short), the French and Huguenots had also already made peace so now the failed attack made England at war with both France & Spain
What was the Five Knight’s Case 1627?
In late 1627, 76 people were arrested for not paying Charles’ forced loan of 1626, the 5 main resistors wrote a court order (Habeus Corpus) to say they have to be released if they aren’t tried for a crime, they held a trial where Charles won (allowed to imprison people without trial = prerogative) but they found out Charles falsified the documents saying this so in 1628 they were released
Why did Parliament draw up The Petition of Right 1628?
MPs feared Charles’ prerogative rule and lack of a written constituton, their concern was only only worsened by the Five Knights Case as the falsified documents Charles made were the main cause
What were the main points of the Petition of Right 1628?
- Parliament must consent on taxation
- People must have a just cause to be imprisoned
- Martial law = illegal
- Billeting (assign soldiers a place to sleep eg. civilian’s house) = illegal
Why did Charles agree to the Petition of Right 1628?(multiple answers)
Charles was desperate for funds after La Rochelle 1627 and if he agreed, Parliament would grant him 5 subsidies
Commons were beginning to attack Buckingham (who had carried out a remonstrance on the foreign policy failure) so he also signed to protect Buckingham
What happened to Buckingham 1628? How did the public respond? How did Charles respond?
Buckingham was assassinated August 1628
The public rejoiced in Buckingham’s death, however Charles blamed Parliament and withdrew even more from Parliament etc. and listened to the Arminians in his bedchamber and his French Catholic wife, both of which the public and PN hated
Who was John Elliot? and how did Charles respond to his actions?
He was one of Charles’ and Buckingham’s biggest critics, who was a lead in the Petition of Right 1628 and Three Resolutions in 1629
Charles saw this as an attack on his authority so after adjourning Parliament imprisoned him
