English Absolutism
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Transcript of English Absolutism
English Absolutism
James I
• Stuart (not a Tudor)• King of Scotland• Nephew of Elizabeth I• Initially agreed to rule
according to English law and customs
• Parliament involved• Until…divine right
Tensions with Parliament
• Disagreements about money– Lavish lifestyle– Wars– Taxes
• Disagreements about foreign policy• James’ solution dissolve Parliament
Religious Tensions
• Puritans wanted:– “purify” the Church of England of Catholic
practices– Simpler services– More democratic church with no powerful bishops
• James rejected their demands• Chased them out of England
Charles I
• Inherits the throne from his father, James I (1625)
• Like his father, he ruled as an absolute monarch– Bickered with Parliament– Imprisoned enemies
without trial– Ran the nation into
further debt
Petition of Right
• Debt from:– Super-luxurious lifestyle– War with France
• Need of money called for Parliament to convene
• Parliament refused to fork over any money until Charles I signed Petition of Right
Petition of Right
1. No funds could be borrowed or raised through taxes & tariffs without the explicit approval of Parliament
Petition of Right
2. No free person (Britain had slavery at this time) could be imprisoned without a reason
The Deal
• Charles I signed the Petition, thereby agreeing to its terms (and getting his $$)
• Did Charles have any intention of keeping his word?
Dissolution of Parliament
• Charles immediately broke his word • To avoid a confrontation with Parliament, he
dissolved it (would stay dissolved for 12 years)• Now on his own…with no funds from
Parliament
Charles’ Budget Cuts
• Made peace with enemies (peace is cheaper than war)
• Downsized government administration • Innovative tax increases• One goal in mind rule without Parliament
Charles and Religion
• Much like his father, Charles was against the Puritans
• Allowed the Archbishop of Canterbury (William Laud) to freely take any measures to stifle the Puritans
Puritans Under Charles I
• Forbidden to publish or preach• Scottish Puritans were forced to use the
Church of England’s prayer books, rituals, hierarchy, etc
• Rebellion occurred, thus forcing Charles to reconvene Parliament
Twelve Years to Stew
• Parliament had 12 years to stew and were ready to show Charles no mercy
• Refused Charles any money until he addressed a very long list of complaints
• What do you think Charles did??
Buh-Bye Parliament
• Charles refused their demands and dismissed them (known as “The Short Parliament”)
• Still, he was without money• Reconvened Parliament again, but this time
agreed to their demands
Parliament’s Demands
• Illegal to raise taxes without Parliament okay• William Laud – impeached & executed• Charles’ centralized bureaucracy – abolished• Law that only Parliament could dismiss itself• Law that Parliament had to meet every 3 years
Rebellion in Ireland
• Religious radicals in Ireland rebelled• Charles wanted funds for an army to go in• Parliament did not trust Charles with an army• Proposal from radicals in Parliament – the
army should be under Parliament’s control
One Angry King
• Charles not very happy about this• Stormed Parliament with his own army• Bold, yet foolish move• Parliament issued Militia Ordinance which
officially declared the army under Parliament’s control
• The result????
The English Civil War
Cavaliers & Roundheads
• Cavaliers = Supporters of King Charles I
• Wealthy nobles• Wore plumed hats• Fashionably long hair• Well trained in dueling
& warfare• Expected a quick win
Cavaliers & Roundheads
• Roundheads = Supporters of Parliament
• Country gentry, town- dwelling manufacturers, & Puritan clergy
• Called Roundheads b/c of their hair style
• Underdogs• Leader – Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
• Puritan, gentry, military genius
• Organized “New Model Army” into a skilled force
• Defeated Cavaliers• Became “Lord
Protectorate” after Civil War
The Execution of a King
• Charles I was put on trial
• Found guilty• Sentenced to death as a
“tyrant, traitor, murderer, and public enemy”
Life Under Puritan Rule
• After Charles I’s execution, House of Commons abolished :
– The monarchy– The House of Lords– The Church of England
England a Republic?
• England declared republic• Not all agree – Charles II is the heir• Rebellions broke out (Ireland)• Oliver Cromwell
– crushed them– persecuted Catholics– exiled Catholics to remote parts of Ireland
End of the Commonwealth
• After Cromwell’s death (1658) Puritans lost control of England
• New Parliament invited Charles II back as King• Charles II met with cheering crowds
Charles II
• Popular ruler• “Man-crush” on Louis
XIV (idolized him)• Tolerant of various
religions• Accepted Petition of
Right (learned from his Daddy’s mistakes!)
James II
• Inherits the throne • Brother of Charles II • Flaunted his Catholic
faith• Many feared he would
restore Catholicism
William & Mary
• Parliament invited James’ Protestant daughter Mary II & her Dutch Protestant husband William of Orange to the throne
The Glorious Revolution
• William & Mary arrived with an army• No need – James II fled to France• Parliament sets up a Limited Monarchy via a
Bill of Rights• Also affirmed habeas corpus (no person could
be held in prison without first being charged with a specific crime)
• Radical concept in the Age of Absolutism…
Homework
• Read Primary Source document, “Charles I on the Scaffold” and answer the questions on the back