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Charles I: A Tyrant

Charles I: A Tyrant. For a large part of his reign, Charles I ruled illegally without the assistance of Parliament ignoring the “ Rule of the Law ” After refusing to sign the Petition or Right in 1629, he ruled England for the next 13 years without summoning Parliament

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Charles I: A Tyrant

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  1. Charles I: A Tyrant • For a large part of his reign, Charles I ruled illegally without the assistance of Parliament ignoring the “Rule of the Law” • After refusing to sign the Petition or Right in 1629, he ruled England for the next 13 years without summoning Parliament • During this reign he resorted to illegal, unsavory, and unpopular ways of raising taxes

  2. Illegal and unpopular Royal Taxes Ship Money • An ancient tax that was meant to used to build naval ships. Charles, resurrected it and then or used the money for other purposes Forced Loans • Charles forced rich noblemen upper classmen to loan him money at favorable interest rates Mortgaged Royal Land • Public land is sold off or mortgaged Houses Soldiers in private homes • Soldiers were housed in private homes Selling Noble Titles • Nobles titles are sold to questionable and incompetent people Tunnage and Poundage • Custom fees on goods coming into and going out of the country • So after irritating and alienating most of the people of England, he now set his sights on his former homeland Scotland

  3. Nothing like getting the Scots mad • In 1637, the Archbishop Laud, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Charles Number 1 religious official, tried to impose the Church of England on Scotland • Scottish, who are predominantly Presbyterian were incensed • The Scottish signed a covenant to resist and rose in revolt and invaded England

  4. Charles, the Desperate King • So now Charles has a problem • He has an army of mad Scots armed with bag pipes and kilts screaming across the border • Desperately needing money to raise an army to fight the Scots, Charles summoned Parliament for the first time in 13 years • Parliament, however, sympathized with the Scots, rather than Charles

  5. The Petition of Right • Parliament demanded once again that Charles sign the Petition of Right • This would force him to cease all illegal activities, shut down his illegal courts • They also suggested that he reverse his religious policy to appease the Scots • But Charles had a baby fit and would not sign the Petition of Right and angrily shut down or dissolved Parliament after only three weeks • Historians now refer to this as the “Short Parliament”

  6. Charles Reconsiders • But after his initial fit Charles reconsiders his situation: - The Scots are still invading England - He still needs money to raise an army to fight them • So he resummons Parliament again

  7. Long Parliament – 1640 - 1653 • Historians now refer to this as the “Long Parliament” because it would sit on and off for over 13 years, through the English Civil War • But this Parliament was even less accommodating Demands • They demand the arrest of Lord Strafford and the Archbishop Laud on a charge of treason • The King agreed and both his henchmen and “friends” were executed

  8. Grand Remonstrance • They also demanded that the king sign a document that went even beyond the Petition of Right in scope • The Grand Remonstrance would curtail the king’s powers and effectively make England a Constitutional Monarchy • Power of the king would be severely limited • Parliament would become supreme • King’s power would be largely symbolic

  9. What do the English people think about the Grand Remonstrance? • England was divided • Parliament’s support is largely in the towns and cities • Farming communities still tend to favor the king • Parliament, although elected, represents only by a small segment of people • A lot of commoners, did not like Parliament because to them it was just an exclusive “rich man’s club”

  10. Some still fear the King • Some members of Parliament, particularly Anglicans and House of Lords members, still support and even fear the king • Many fear the wrath of the king if and when he is able to regain his power • Many still believe that the king’s power is divine

  11. Legal Argument • Many members of Parliament wonder if they have a legal right to take the powers of a king away Magna Carta • At this time, the most definitive document regarding the role of the king in England • It was somewhat vague about the king’s power in relation to parliament

  12. The right to conduct foreign policy • The Magna Carta did, however, outline some of the king’s powers • According to the Magna Carta the king had the right to conduct foreign policy • This power alone would ensure that the king’s position was always a powerful one • England was a world power with colonies and dominions everywhere • The right to conduct foreign policy was a powerful weapon in his hands

  13. Royal Prerogative • It also allowed the king to exercise the “Royal Prerogative” • This allowed the king to act outside the law or even against the law in cases of emergency • The problem, herein, was to define what an “emergency” was • Obviously this power was one that could easily be abused by a king • And throughout this period, Charles would do that, exercises his “Royal Prerogative” several times

  14. Parliament divided on whether to pass the Grand Remonstrance Radicals • Mainly Puritans, Presbyterians and members of the House of Commons • Want to force the king to sign the Grand Remonstrance • Wanted Parliament to be supreme • Wanted the King to be a figure head Moderates • Many Anglican members of the House of Commons and members of the House of Lords felt that the Grand Remonstrance went too far and was probably illegal • They preferred to get the king to sign the Petition of Right insteadand get him to cease all his illegal activity • They were more willing to share power with the king • They wanted the king to be a good boy and rule in accordance to law and tradition

  15. Grand Remonstrance passes -- barely • Grand Remonstrance passed Parliament by a very narrow margin

  16. Royal Prerogative • The narrow passing of the Grand Remonstrance was a sign to Charles that Parliament was divided • Charles exercised his “Royal Prerogative” and marched on Parliament with 500 soldiers • His plan was to arrest Five Puritan members (Ring leaders) and shut down Parliament • And this leads to a ….

  17. … good ol’ fashioned shoot out • The Puritan radicals escaped before Charles arrived • After Charles left, Parliament called for the raising of the militia to fight the king

  18. The King heads North • The king headed North to Nottingham in Northern England where his support lie • His plan was to raise an army to fight the Parliamentary forces

  19. Meanwhile, back at the ranch • Queen Henrietta Maria, a former French princess, heads to Europe with the priceless Crown Jewels in hand • She plans to sell them raise money for an army to fight Parliament • So finally the war of words was over, and the English Civil War officially began

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