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Charles I Breakdown of Personal Rule - Coggle Diagram
Charles I Breakdown of Personal Rule
Opposition/Growing Discontent in England
Even without Parliament to voice concerns about Charles' actions, groups of people formed to protest his absolutist rule.
One group formed companies to encourage trade and colonisation in America and used meetings of shareholders to discuss grievances
Lords that were involved in such companies such as Lord Saye and Sele, whose home in Oxfordshire was the place where Providence Island Company gathered
Lord Saye and Sele could not actively oppose Charles and by 1638 was considering emigrating as he couldn't see an end to Personal Rule
Opposition from Puritans such as Henry Burton and Alexander Leighton - their trials earned them much sympathy - Star Chamber trials ended in them being sent to distant prisons to prevent a build-up of sympathy towards them.
In October 1637, Hampden's case over Ship Money was carried out. 12 judges of Charles' choosing presided. The verdict was only 7-5 in Charles favour illustrating this as a moral loss and demonstrated dislike of his techniques. As legal experts didn't agree with it, men began to feel justified in refusing to pay/ paying late.
90 percent of Ship money collected in 1637 (very quickly), then 80% in 1638 more slowly and only 25% was gathered in 1639. This hindered Charles' ability to carry out his policies. Needed extra funds.
Prayer Book Rebellion
The imposition of the new Scottish Prayer Book sparked a sudden resentment which heavily undermined the strength of his personal rule.
Regarded as particularly Popish, deeply exasperating the staunch Presbyterian majority in Scotland who had previously turned a blind eye to his religious affairs.
The Book would unravel the strong sense of community and collective identity which the Kirk had before possessed, particularly with the traditional Stool of Repentance which alleviated sin with penitence.
The Kirks who signed the Covenant, a document signed to maintain the ‘true worship of God’, changed their intentions from supporting the Crown to establishing a form of Scottish nationalism after this assertive implementation. The Scots subsequently banned the Prayer Book in November 1638, abolished bishops and annulled the canons of 1636.
In conjunction with Laud, Charles told Scottish bishops to draw up a new Prayer Book 'as near to that of England as may be. This was in imposition was the finishing touch after all the Laudian reforms. In 1634, petition against religious innovations drawn up by Scottish Lords was rejected by Charles and Lord Balmerino, when reviving this petition, was accused of treason but pardoned after protests.
Instead of accepting the new prayer book with cheerful obedience, ‘there rose such a tumult, such an outcrying … as the like was never seen in Scotland’ when the Dean began reading from the prayer book in St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, with members of the congregation throwing their wooden stools at the bishops. The rebellion resulted in a campaign to petition the king in London, questioning his ruling with many anxious of civil war as well as thousands of Scots signing the National Covenant, pledging to resist changes imposed by Charles on the Kirk in 1638. Bishops ordered to point guns at the congregation when reading from the prayer book in other churches
Bishops Wars
Charles exepcted there to not be any kind of foreceful army from the Scottish and that loyalty to the King would prevail
However, he was incorrect, The Scots led by Alexander Leslie, experienced solider and having fought in the Thirty years War for Sweden, commanded an army that also included many with such war experience.
The English Army on the other hand were unruly county militias, raised with great reluctance especially along the South coast far from Scotland
The men in the English army were badly paid, if paid at all and terribly lacking in experience and training.
Local officials found it hard to raise troops when most of the men would have much preferred fighting the Spanish
Charles was even ready to recruit troops from Europe if necessary due to the slow and ineffective recruitment process
First Bishop's War
The First Bishop's war was an English failure, with Charles' underestimating the strength of the Scottish Army. English retreated and a truce was called.
Both sides were to disband their armies and Charles would call a Scottish General Assembly and Parliament.
Not a settlement - Scots did not trust Charles and so didn't disband their army. Rejected royal control
Charles needed £300,000 to continue the war - City of London would not provide this. Therefore he needed to call Parliament.
Second Bishop's War
Forced to negotiate the Treaty of Ripon in 1640, agreeing that the Scots could keep Newcastle until a settlement was reached and he would pay £850 a day until there was a settlement and he would recall Parliament.
The Scots invaded while most of the royal army was still at York and captured Newcastle. Charles therefore called a meeting of peers in York and they advised him to call another session of Parliament.
Short Parliament
Met for three weeks in 1640, but failed to provide the King with the funds that he needed to prolong the war and therefore was dissolved.
Needed to recall parliament as it was the time-honoured way of providing funds in an emergency.
The Scots were demanding that he should even state that episcopacy was unlawful. They gained support in England and Covenanters were encouraged by English Parliamentarians.
Charles needed to isolate the Scots and eliminate their threat as quickly as possible. Rebellion in all three kingdoms appeared to be a great possibility.
Only way to defeat the Scots was through war and the only way to finance this was through Parliament
Opposition had no intention of granting subsidies without the redress of grievances - did not trust him to recall again - seemed to be only for money
Accumulated grievances during Personal Rule had piled up greatly with no official place to redress them
John Pym listed 36 matters of complaint and wanted committees established to discuss them - e.g. impositions, Ship Money Tax. Offered to get rid of Ship Money for subsidies - Parliament pointed out that if it were a legal tax then he wouldn't be able to give it up
Bolstering Scots cause through Charles imposing new canons
endorsement of the Divine Right of Kings
Approval of altar railings
Imposition of an oath to uphold the episcopal government
The Scots used this as evidence that true religion was under threat in both kingdoms
Emboldened opposition, 12 of his critics wrote up a petition lamenting the innovations in religion and increase in popery. Urged calling of parliament.