Catholic Influence at Court

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  • Created by: lou9119
  • Created on: 05-02-18 22:19

The CABAL

After restoration there were signs of renewed concern with the threat of Ctholic influence. In 66 the Great Fire of London sparked rumours they were agents and the plague led Charles to allow P to blame Clarendon, who was replaced the next year with the CABAL, 

  • Clifford - Catholic
  • Arlington - Catholic
  • Buckingham
  • Ashley 
  • Lauderdale 
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Impact of James' Conversion

68 he converted to Catholicism, this became public knowledge the next year. His conversion was made plain when he refused to take Anglican Communion, when he resigned as Lord Admiral. The prospect of a Catholic heir was in the minds of MPs and the Whig faction would later work to remove him. 

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Conflicts with Parliament over Catholicism

Dec of Indulgence in 72 permitted Catholics to worship in private, producing hostile reactions for these reasons: 

  • Catholic sympathies of Charles and James became increasingly apparent. 
  • P was concerned with his willingness to dispense with the law. Echos of continental Catholic monarchs. 

After 72 fear of catholicism and absolutism as a collective increaed. It seemed the king was trying to emulate Louis XIV. While Mary was married to protestant William of Orange from 77 (arranged by Danby) James was permitted to mary Catholic Mary of Modena. With no legitimate children liklihood of James' succession increased. 

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Charles II and Continental Catholicism

In 67 Louis XIV invaded the Spanish Netherlands and attacked the Dutch, feeding into English awareness the threat of Catholic France. This led to the negotiation of the Triple Alliance with Protestant Sweden and the United Provinces but CII was signing the Secret Treaty of Dover at the same time. Charles favoured his pro-French policy for these reasons: 

  • Mother was French and he spent time there ine exile. 
  • Sister Henrietta was married into the French royal family, his favourite sibling. 
  • Looked to France by example (art, culture, philosophy) 

Relations with Louis XIV

Along with Treaty of Dover in 70 and another agreement in 75 (Louis would fund Charles if necessary) another secret arrangement was main in 77. This time, Louis offered even more money and was backed by another treaty in 78 in which Charles agreed to disband his army of 30,000 men in return for further funds. 

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