Politics and Religion
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,Index
What was the main reason for the failure of Charles I and Parliament to
work together before the personal rule?.....................................................3
How successful was Charles’ personal rule 1629-40?.................................6
How accurate is it to say that Charles I’s actions and attitudes were the
main reason for the failure of the King and his opponents to reach a
compromise in the years 1640–49? ............................................................9
Why did the relationship between Charles I and Parliament break down,
1625-42?...................................................................................................12
Greatest challenge to the Anglican Church 1625-40.................................15
How accurate is it to say that the problems faced by the monarchy were
primarily due to religious issues 1625-40?................................................18
How significant were monarchs (Charles I and II) as a source of instability
1638-53.....................................................................................................22
To what extent was Republican Rule (1649-60) different from Charles’
Personal Rule (1629-40)............................................................................26
Religious radicalism was the greatest threat to the national church
between 1640-60?.....................................................................................29
Why was there a failure to find a lasting political settlement 1649-60?....32
What was the main reason for discontent faced by the restored monarchy
in the years 1660-1688.............................................................................36
Why did Protestant Dissenters survive and grow in the years 1660-88?...40
Why was there anti-Catholic sentiment in England 1660-88?...................45
How successfully did Charles II reestablish political stability 1660-85......49
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,What was the main reason for the failure of
Charles I and Parliament to work together
before the personal rule?
Criteria: How much did a factor cause Parliament to not give
money to Charles; or how much a factor caused Charles to
dissolve Parliament
Context: Charles dissolved Parliament three times during this period
Charles’ Religious Policy:
- In 1625 Charles angered parliament as he did not wed a protestant.
He married Henrietta Maria, a catholic.
- Charles’ Arminian views.
o Arminianism promoted church rituals involving formal
ceremony. This came across as pseudo-Catholicism and
angered Parliament, which was comprised of Anglicans.
- Charles’ wife, Henrietta Maria, held mass in a private chapel –
exacerbating the view that Charles was linked with Catholicism
- Charles’ children were raised catholic until the age of 13 as they
were under their mother’s care until this age
o However, they were baptised into the Anglican Church
- Parliament were outraged that English ships, which were loaned to
the French in 1625, were use against the Protestant Huguenots
- Charles’ association with Laud made people suspect he was too
sympathetic to Catholicism
- But: Charles was not a Catholic, he merely supported High Church
traditions in the Church of England – which opposed Calvinist
beliefs. Moreover, he had no intention of turning England Catholic
Charles’ foreign policy:
- Parliament was upset that Charles was fighting, and losing, two wars
that he could not afford. The Anglo-Spanish war 1625-30, and the
Anglo-French war 1627-29.
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, o But: argument can be made that the military failures were due
to a lack of funding from Parliament
- The Anglo-Spanish war was unpopular because:
o The 1625 Parliament was dissolved over arguments of foreign
policy and funding of the war
o Failed Cadiz expedition in 1625 caused Lord High Admiral
Buckingham to be blamed.
Charles dissolved the 1626 Parliament due to the
criticism of Buckingham
o However, parliament initially wanted the war against the
Spanish
- The Anglo-French War was unpopular because
o The 1627-28 Siege of La Rochelle was a massive failure (was
led by Buckingham)
o The mass amount of money spent increased tensions
o There was an understanding that Charles’ marriage to
Henrietta Maria would at least prevent war
o But: Charles went to war against the French to support the
Huguenots because of the backlash he received in 1625 for
going against them.
Buckingham’s influence:
- He led two failed expeditions – Cadiz in 1625, and La Rochelle in
1627-28
o Was seen to be completely incompetent at La Rochelle as it
was a massive failure
Caused Charles’ relationship with Parliament to weaken
because of this
- Criticism of Buckingham played a part in the dissolution of the 1625
and 1626 Parliaments because Charles wanted to protect him
- Support of Arminianism as he banned the Calvinist belief of
predestination in the York House Conference of 1626
- But: He was assassinated in 1628, before the 1629 Parliament failed
Parliament:
- Refusal to give Charles Tonnage and Poundage for life in 1625, when
he came to the throne, soured the relationship from the beginning
- Continual criticism of Buckingham, due to York House Conference
and failed expeditions, angered Charles as he was Charles’ advisor
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