Why was Charles executed Flashcards
What were causes of Second Civil War?
It was the attitude of Charles that had prevented a political settlement being reached between 1646 and 1648
Charles I refused to accept outcome of first war. Charles was not cooperating with settlement and was to take advantage of the growing disillusionment felt by Scots.
In December 1647, Charles went in negotiations with the Scots called ‘The Engagement’. The scots offered two propositions.
- Charles be restored to the position he had held before
the breakdown of negotiations in 1642 - In return, Charles promised to adopt presbyterianism
It was these negotiations that led onto the prayer meeting at Windsor
Treaty of Newport 1648
Parliament attended the Treaty of Newport as the Second Civil War showed tides were changing and people were not content.
In September negotiations began at Newport, Isle of Wight. Sir Henry Vane made it clear Charles was unwilling to make concessions but by December they returned with Charles’ answers to the four bills. 3 Dec – Parliament gains militia control, 5 Dec – Vote of No Addresses repealed.
At Newport Charles refused to accept the Solemn League and Covenant but he gave up militia for 20 years. He held out on negotiations in hopes that he could find settlement with the Confederate Catholics in Ireland.
What was Pride’s Purge?
The army was bound to act.
If Charles returned to London, royalist support would undermine any settlement and a compulsory national Church would hurt religious freedom.
On 6 December 1648 Colonel Pride surrounded the Houses of Parliament and arrested many conservative leaders, alongside excluding 186, who had voted in favour of continued negotiations with the King
What inspired prayer meeting at Windsor?
In January 1648 the army prepared itself, ceasing to sit in the Army Council and restoring military discipline.
Parliament voted No Further Addresses on 3 April 1648 and the Council of Officers held a prayer meeting in Windsor, April, condemning Charles as a man of blood.
Their view shifted, with royalist rising breaking out in South Wales, and they saw Charles committing sacrilege.
Cromwell believed, If god wanted Charles dead - he would have died on the battlefield. Charles’ defeat in the first civil war was so that Charles’ could realise and accept his wrongdoing. Charles’ decision to ignore, and promote a second civil war meant he had ignored the judgement of god.
putney debates
The Grandees viewpoint was expressed by Ireton and Cromwell, who declared that they had fought the war not to overthrow society but to preserve it
Their socially conservative position was that it was the possession of property that gave its holder responsibility and ‘interests’ that entitled them to vote, to sit in parliament and to make decisions as to how the nation should be governed
This conservatism was attacked by such as Thomas Rainborough, who held that rights were natural and universal and did not depend on property
Henry Ireton
Cromwell’s son-in-law; he committed himself to Parliament in the outbreak of war and proved an able commander.
Trained as a lawyer, he drafted many of the key political and constitutional documents produced by the army
Was one of the main spokesmen for the Council of the Army
Council of the Army
Formed in 1647, it was composed of the highest ranking officers (Grandees) who were men of good birth, such as Fairfax, or of property, such as Cromwell
Give a summary of the situation between 1646-49
Position at end of the war (1646) : Parliament divided (Presbytarians + Scots) (Independents + army)
Charles led a strategy to play off these groups against each other: Newcastle Propositions + Head of Propsals both rejected by Charles
Scots offer Charles the Engagement in December 1647 - Charles accepts which leads to second civil war and a Royalist Defeat
Thomas Rainborough
Rose to the rank of colonel in the New Model Army and fought at Naseby
Became the chief Leveller spokesman in the army
