Causes of the English Civil War

Created by: OliviaClarke1
Created on: 31-10-19 19:47

View mindmap

Causes of the English Civil War
- Charles' personality and Character
  - Stubborn
  - Inconsistent in his actions
  - Easily influenced
    - By his wife Henrietta Maria
      - Fear of Catholicism
    - By his advisers
  - Often dealt with events in the wrong way
    - Slow response to the Irish rebellion
    - 5 member's Coup
      - Charles entered the H of C with armed soldiers to try and arrest the MPs
        This was a clear breach of Parliament's privileges as the King was not allowed in the chamber
      - It failed as the members had been tipped off and so safely escaped
        Charles had to flee London for Hampton Court for his own safety and
    - Insensitively introduced the English Book of Prayer into Scotland
- John Pym
  - Leading parliament figure responsible for implementing many policies
    - The Grand Remonstrance
      - listed all of the policies and actions of Charles which had caused the Commons to distrust him
      - Made a list of demands which would increase Parliament's power and reduce that of the King
        eg. Parliament should be able to choose and remove the King's ministers)
      - It was passed by a majority of only 11 votes with nearly 200 MPs abstaining
        anti-court consensus begins to break down
        The beginnings of a 'King's party' starts to form in the H of C
    - The Nineteen Propositions
      - little room for compromise
      - the demands would remove some of the King's key prerogative powers eg.
        The King would give up his control of the armed forces
        
        Parliament would choose the King's ministers
        
        Charles would agree to the Militia Ordinance
        Parliament would appoint the Deputy Lieutenants and Officers
        
        Parliament would control Church matters
        
        Parliament would appoint guardians for the king's children
      - Charles was left with no choice but to refuse (as a believer in the DROK's it would be wrongful to accept)
        Parliament appointed a committee of public safety and the Earl of Essex was placed in charge of 24,000 soldiers
        22nd August 1642, Charles formally raises his standard at Nottingham and declares war on parliament
- Death of Bedford
  - A 'moderate'
  - He was a courtier as well as having good relations with some of the leading parliament members
    - His death removed any chance of compromise between the two sides
- The King's Advisers
  - William Laud
    - Laud's religious reforms
      - Fear of Catholicism
  - Charles' personality and Character
    - Stubborn
    - Inconsistent in his actions
    - Easily influenced
      - By his wife Henrietta Maria
      - By his advisers
    - Often dealt with events in the wrong way
      - Slow response to the Irish rebellion
      - 5 member's Coup
        Charles entered the H of C with armed soldiers to try and arrest the MPs
        This was a clear breach of Parliament's privileges as the King was not allowed in the chamber
        
        It failed as the members had been tipped off and so safely escaped
        Charles had to flee London for Hampton Court for his own safety and
      - Insensitively introduced the English Book of Prayer into Scotland
  - Thomas Wentworth (Earl of Strafford)
    - Trial and execution of Strafford
      - Bill of Attainder (10th April 1641)
        Reluctantly signed by King Charles
        In order for the Bill to become an Act it needed to be signed by the King
        
        He had promised Strafford that no harm would come to him
        
        Was under pressure form the Lords and Bishops to sign
        
        There were potentially dangerous consequences if he didn't sign (eg. Civil War, harm to his family, Parliament would refuse to pay his debts to the Scots)
        
        The H of L did not have to find him guilty to order his execution
        
        Was different to an impeachment
        
        Triennial Act
        Signed by Charles on the same day as Strafford's death warrant the act stated that Parliament must be called every 3 years and could only be dismissed by its own consent
      - Strafford defended himself well
    - Enforced the 'thorough' policy in Ireland
    - Was despised by Parliament
    - promoted authoritarian rule and wanted to impose it in Ireland
- Irish Rebellion
  - An army would need to be raised in order to stop the rebellion
    - Parliament did not want to trust the King after the recent 'army plot'
- The Divine Right of King's (DROK's)
  - The belief that monarchs are appointed by God
  - The Nineteen Propositions
    - little room for compromise
    - the demands would remove some of the King's key prerogative powers eg.
      - The King would give up his control of the armed forces
      - Parliament would choose the King's ministers
      - Charles would agree to the Militia Ordinance
        Parliament would appoint the Deputy Lieutenants and Officers
      - Parliament would control Church matters
      - Parliament would appoint guardians for the king's children
    - Charles was left with no choice but to refuse (as a believer in the DROK's it would be wrongful to accept)
      - Parliament appointed a committee of public safety and the Earl of Essex was placed in charge of 24,000 soldiers
        22nd August 1642, Charles formally raises his standard at Nottingham and declares war on parliament
- Personal Rule
  - 1629-1640, Charles ruled for 11 years without Parliament
    - Many feared that he was trying to establish absolutism
  - Foreign Policy
    - Charles admired Spain and Austria's absolutist states
      - Many feared that he was trying to establish absolutism
    - Could not afford to interfere in the Thirty Years War
    - Charles supported the Spanish
      - allowed Spanish troops to land and rest in England
      - He used ship money to protect the Spanish convoys of treasure and troops up the English Channel
        Ship Money
        a form of tax normally paid by coastal counties during war to fund the builiing of ships
        
        Charles made this a permanent tax to be paid by everyone in all counties
  - Finance
    - Parliaments failure to provide the king with adequate finance
      - No parliament during the personal rule meant no subsides for expensive wars or luxuries
      - Could not afford to interfere in the Thirty Years War
    - Charles revived long forgotten revenue raising methods eg.
      - Ship Money
        a form of tax normally paid by coastal counties during war to fund the builiing of ships
        
        Charles made this a permanent tax to be paid by everyone in all counties
      - Forest fines
      - Monopolies
  - Prerogative Courts
    - Star Chamber
      - abolished/ made illegal during the 1640 Long Parliament
    - High Commission
- Management of the 3 Kindgom's
  - 1st Bishop's War
    - Charles lacked money
      - No parliament during the personal rule meant no subsides for expensive wars or luxuries
    - He realised he couldn't win and signed the Treaty of Berwick in1639
  - 2nd Bishop's War
    - Ill organised and under equipped force
    - Many of the soldiers sympathised with the Scots
      - They instead burnt alter rails and other Catholic associated symbols
    - Charles was defeated at the Battle of Newburn near Newcastle
      - Treaty of Ripon (October 1640) Charles was forced to pay the Scots £850 a day whilst they occupied Newcastle
  - England, Ireland ans Scotland
    - Charles spent little time in Scotland despite being born there and being King of Sxcotland
  - Irish Rebellion
    - An army would need to be raised in order to stop the rebellion
      - Parliament did not want to trust the King after the recent 'army plot'

Get Revising

Causes of the English Civil War

Comments

Similar History resources:

Comments

Related discussions on The Student Room

Similar History resources: