Charles' Reign 1625-29

1625

Charles

• Uncommunicative and never explained himself
• He had no political flexibility and would not compromise with parliament
• Strong belief in the Divine Right of Kings
• Couldn't understand criticism or views different to his own
• "Most inept monarch to occupy the throne since Henry VI"

Parliament

• narrow range of people and interests in court - misunderstandings were more common
• "the king observes a rule of great decorum"
• Charles needed order in court

Foreign Policy

• Charles and Buckingham wanted an anti-spanish front to get the Palatinate back
• England gave money to Denmark and to the Netherlands to support protestants
• English army of 6000 men given to Germany
• Sea war to cut off Spanish supplies
• £250,000 subsidy granted in 1624 for a sea war only
• Charles' other actions cost £2,000,000
• The French Match in 1625 brought a dowry of £240,000

Failures in Foreign Policy

• Mansfeld Expedition 1624 - 6,000 poorly trained and ill-equiped troops sent to fight, 4,000 starved or died of disease, the remaining 2,000 never went into battle
• Cadiz Expedition 1625 - attack on a Spanish port to capture the 'treasure fleet' but troops were ill-disciplined and found a wine cellar instead so nothing was captured and many starved to death on the way home
• Christian IV - sent english troops to denmark, to invade N. Germany, but they were beaten by General Wallenstein
• La Rochelle/Ile de Rhé - another military failure

1626

Parliament

• Charles was in need of money so had to overcome tensions between him and parliament
• Charles appointed enemies of buckers as Sherriff's to try and limit the hassle
• Parliament were still unhappy which Laud made worse with his sermon about Divine Right at the beginning of Parliament
• "a royal command must be God's glory, and obedience to it a subjects honour"
• Attacks on Buckingham so charles dismissed parliament with a warning of his control 
• Commons had tried to impeach Buckingham so Charles had to shut down parliament without any subsidies

The Attack on Buckingham

• Both Lords and Commons attacked him 
• Bristol had evidence against Buckingham from the Madrid Trip in 1623, he gave evidence against buckingham and the house of lords…