CHARLES' FOREIGN POLICY 16 25 - 1629

FOREIGN POLICY 1625 - 1629

The main problem of the period for Charles was foreign policy. By 1625 Charles and Buckingham had attempted to set up an anti-Spanish 'front' to force the Hapsburgs to restored the Palatinate to Charles's brother-in-law. This was composed of:

• An alliance with Christian IV of Denmark whereby, in exahcnage for financial support from England, he would attack the Catholic Hapsburgs in North Germany. 
• Financial support for the Dutch in the same cause.
• An English army of 6,000 men to be provided for the German Protestant mercenary commander, Ernst von Mansdeld, who had already fought for Frederick of the Palatinate.
• A sea war against Spain to try to cut off its supplies of gold and silver from South America.  These supplies from the Spanish colonies were what paid for the forces of Spain and the Hapsburg emperor.

However, Parliament had voted subsidies worth only about £250,000 for sea war. They were not clear about the other plans that Charles and Buckingham had - plans that cost something in the region of…