The Restoration: Key Issue 1 Flashcards
Describe events of 1658
Cromwell died and his son Richard took over as lord protector, but he resigned.
The army, most powerful at the time, called the Rump P who contained pro monarch MP’s.
When did Charles publish his declaration of Breda?
4 April 1660. On 8th May, Parliament proclaimed Charles was the rightful king, and he returned on May 29th to greet his supporters from exile.
What did Breda consist of? How did this solve Charles’ challenges?
Promise to listen to P
Religious toleration (settled religious division)
Settlement of land disputes. (During civil war land had been taken from monarchists)
Indemnity. (ppl won’t be punished for actions they did during the civil war unless they resist the King’s return)
Payment of the Army’s wages (made them loyal)
What powers did the monarch have?
Declare war/peace
Summon, prorogue or dissolve P
They can veto (reject) any bills
Pass succession onto their heir
Describe the restoration settlement
Various groups settled their differences to pave the way for the King’s return, decided by 2 Parliaments:
The convention P was elected April 1660 and then dissolved itself.
The Cavalier P elected May 1660 and was very royalist, increasing the power of the monarch. This enabled them to get revenge on enemies from the civil war.
Give problems and solutions with the army
People feared they would be used again for control, so they must be disbanded. Many trained soldiers were a threat because they hadn’t been paid.
SOLUTUONS: Cavalier P paid off soldiers’ arrears and made laws to help them find work. Gneral Monck sacked or moved radical officers. The king was left with an army directly under his control.
What happened with indemnity?
33 regicides were put on trial and 13 eventually hung, drawn and quartered.
Although the Cavalier P wanted to execute more, Charles was “weary of hanging except for new offences” saying his “honour was at stake”
Give other Changes during the restoration
All laws by Charles I were cancelled. The king couldn’t raise taxes or demand forced loans w/o P. The court of Star Chamber used by Charles I to imprison opponents wasn’t reopened b Charles II.
Describe changes to the church
Presbyterian ideas during the interregnum meant bishops lost jobs and cathedrals were unused.
Charles’ toleration meant Catholics and dissenters weren’t persecuted.
When the Cavalier P was elected, Anglican bishops took back jobs and seats in the house of lords.
Presbyterians were ejected from parishes.
What was the Clarendon code?
Pro Anglican laws:
Uniformity Act, 1662: compulsory to use the common book of prayer.
Conventicle Act, 1664: illegal for more than 5 ppl to worship together outside church (dissenters)
5 Mile Act: rejected priests to preach within 5 miles of the towns where they were a priest
RESULTS: London lost 1/3 priests and Sussex lost 1/4
What was the problem with public finances?
P used assessments (tax on land) that was resented by landowners to pay for the army, but it wasn’t enough.
Conventicle P then taxed alcohol and fireplaces to add up to £120,000. But it wasn’t effective.
Weak finances led to the problematic French alliance
Describe phases int the relationship between Charles and his P
Dec 1662: Charles abandoned Indulgence and because P withheld money
Feb 1664: Charles signed Conventicles A and in exchange didn’t have to call P every 3 years.
P granted huge £ for the Dutch war and in return Charles signed the 5 mile act. This war failed and Clarendon was scapegoated and exiled.
1668: Charles tried again for toleration but signed another conventicles act in exchange for money from P.
1670: P tried to pass a Test Act but Charles prorogued them at every attempt.
What was the Danby ministry?
1673-79
French victories against the dutch meant he was encouraged by P to form a dutch alliance against France. Charles was strongly allied to the French so he prorogued P.
There were claims Danby had been secretly negotiating w/ France. This led to Danby’s resignation.
To stop Danby being put on trial Charles dissolved P.
what was the popish plot?
1678: a supposed plot by catholics to kill Charles and put James on the throne. Caused anti catholic fear.
Describe the events of the exclusion crisis
Whigs and Tories split into different parties
Charles created division among whigs by suggesting limiting powers of a future monarch and offering privy council positions to senior Whigs.
Some Whigs wanted Mary, James’ daughter for succession, others wanted illegitimate son Duke of Monmouth.
Charles paused P whenever he wanted, like when Shaftesbury put forward a bill of Exclusion in 1679.
Tories used propaganda to show Whigs as extremists wanting to start another civil war.
in 1681 P met in Oxford and Charles offered to restrict powers of a future king, but was rejected by Whigs. This made them look unreasonable so Charles dissolved P for the final time.
