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