England under James I and Charles I Big Picture: Remember that England never had a religious war under Elizabeth I? Remember that Mary Stuart, exiled from Scotland, executed by Elizabeth I, had a son? That two year old, James VI, will become the King of England, James I, after the death of the childless Elizabeth I. Like his mother, James I, has many Catholic tendencies. He will try and expand these, while angering an English Parliament, who resent his ego and power.

England under James I and Charles I James I (Father) Charles I (son) Both will lead England to a Civil War

England under James I and Charles I Issues leading to England’s Civil War Catholic Tendencies of James I and Charles I Taxes levied by James and Charles w/o Consent of Parliament Laws passed by James and Charles w/o consent of Parliament A fear of reversal, going backward to a Papal influenced Country Unwillingness of either James I or Charles I to be a “Politique”

England under James I and Charles I James I (Father) – 1603 – 1625 Continues the targeting of Puritans begun under Elizabeth... He says. “No Bishop, No king” – a direct attack at the Presbyterian model of the Puritans. This will drive out the first “Pilgrims” to the New World. His “court” will be similar to those of Absolutists, or even Papal courts...

England under James I and Charles I He marries off his son, Charles I, to the very Catholic daughter of Henry IV of France. Hence, we have an English King leaning toward a centralized, Catholic, absolutist style of rule. This is all very well, but England had what France did not...A Parliament. England, since 1215, a representative assembly with a History of interacting with a Monarch, even Henry VIII. James was looking to rule without them.

James I: “Moment in Time” Puritans wanted no games, no amusements, on the Sabbath (Sunday), the day of worship. James felt that Puritans were not only wrong about this, but were diminishing the ranks of the Church of England. He forces, in 1618, English clergy to read from the “Book of Sports”(during Mass) which permitted engaging in dancing, archery, Maypoles after church on Sundays. There would be none of this in “New England” where many Puritans flee for a “new start.”

England under James I and Charles I James dies in 1624, and his son, Charles I, will continue his Absolutist tendencies... In the American Revolution, we all know the battle cry, “No Taxation Without Representation.” Clearly, the American colonists would not put up with having their income taxed, if they could not participate, be a representative, in Parliament, where these tax laws were passed.

England under James I and Charles I Charles I, 150 years before the American Revolution, was implementing “Taxation Without Representation” in England... With a myriad of different taxes, Charles does this: he ignores, goes around, defies Parliament with a number of taxes fattening the Royal coffers, but not consulting the very people he was supposed to. In fact, Parliament will confront Charles I with the Petition of Right, in 1628.

Charles I: “A Moment in Time” Petition of Right: 1628 Parliament makes of Charles I. No more Forced Loans No Imprisonment without “due cause.” No troops forced into people’s homes What is Charles’ Response?

England under James I and Charles I Charles I does not say, “My God, I have been wrong about everything; let us work together for a greater England!” Charles I does dismiss Parliament, for 11 years. They cannot meet. They cannot make laws. They cannot regulate taxes Most importantly, Charles I gets to do whatever, (as they say in England,) “he bloody well pleases.”

England under James I and Charles I The 1630’s will see a growing Centralization of power under Charles I’s control. He will tax, change the focus of the Church of England, and will begin to look to go to war with Scotland. To go to war, you need taxes, and he wasn’t able to raise enough on his own. He would have to, eventually, return to, (you guessed it) Parliament. As you might imagine, getting the “Old Gang” back together again, would be a bit complicated.

England under James I and Charles I What has lead us to the English Civil War? Sides exist: Monarch vs. Parliament Predominantly Puritan Sympathies in those against the King Pro-Monarchists are more “Catholic” or Moderate Protestant. This will be a Religious, Political and Economic Civil War.