England Early Stuart England And Civil War

England at years of prosperity and relative peace under Elizabeth I Pragmatically Protestant national church Rising radicalism of Calvinist Puritans and Scottish Presbyterians Continued fear of foreign Catholic influences but diminished Spanish threat Only Parliament could legislate new taxation but king could continue existing taxes Catholic Ireland remained English but unruly Economically England thrived with trade and seafaring also with native production of wool and coal and colonialism

James I Son of Mary Queen of Scots considered a foreigner by many Believer in divine-right royal absolutism not Parliamentary check on King’s power Pragmatic continuances of Church or England despite Scottish Presbyterians demands Negotiated peace with Spain to decrease threat of war and lower expenses Authorized English version of the Bible: the King James version translated from Greek and Hebrew James’s policies, while pragmatic increased suspicion that he harbored Catholic sympathies

Charles I Like his father also distrusted Parliament little funding Parliament landowners feared possibility that monarch could tax at will Parliamentary Puritans distrusted ruler of Church of England Feared Monarchs rising sense of divine right absolutism Only one Parliament in England: concentrated opposition into one body Attempted to rule on own and refused to summon Parliament: alienated aristocracy

Charles I Conflict with Parliament Tried to modernize the Navy through ship-money tax alienated property owners Supported high Anglicans – alienated Puritans Puritan Scots rebelled against Charles’s attempt to enforce policies of Anglican Church Charles needed money to defend England: called Parliament and then disbanded it Newly elected Parliament sat Long Parliament

The Long Parliament &Civil War Abolished position of Bishops Star Chamber and High Commission Roundheads: radical Puritans, led by Oliver Cromwell; Cavaliers: royalists 1641: Parliament presented Charles with “Grand Remonstrance” a list of grievances 1642 Charles invaded Parliament, raised and Army and Civil War began Many members left Parliament: the Rump Parliament controlled by Cromwell 1649 Rump Parliament condemned Charles I to death and executed him

Cromwell and the Commonwealth England declared a commonwealth republic led by Oliver Cromwell Religious toleration except for atheists, Catholics and Unitarians Used force to subdue cotland Massacres swept through Ireland of Catholics women and children butchered Protestants were installed as landlords over Irish catholic peasants 1653: Cromwell abolished Rump Parliament became Lord Protector with military rule Protectorate operated under a written constitution Joined England, Wales, Scotland Ireland equally under one government 1658 Death of Cromwell

The Restoration Cromwell’s legacy: a constitutionalist proponent of Parliament and in favor of religious toleration, he ended as a virtual dictator on behalf of the minority 1660 nearly universal approval of a restoration of monarchy to end chaos of Cromwell Monarch, Church of England and Parliament all restored to 1640 condition Charles II was careful not to provoke Parliament, but to rule with it Parliament was careful to fund the monarchy through proper taxes Parliament remained deeply suspicious of the “Popery” Charles admired Louis XIV

Late Stuart England and the Glorious Revolution

Charles II Secretly Catholic allied with Louis XIV to battle Calvinist Netherlands: promised to embrace Catholicism openly Charles issued and rescinded Declaration of Indulgence: Catholics and Protestants to worship Test Act required civil servants to disavow transubstantiation Great fire of London (1666): Charles and brother James fought the fire side by side with Londoners Popish Plot of 1678 – Claim Charlie's Portuguese wife plotted to kill him so that Catholic James could take the throne Anti-Catholic executions and increasing anti Catholicism in Parliament Charles II less trustful of parliament so he influenced elections to create a royalist Parliament Had 14 illegitimate children

James II: Openly Catholic Dissolved Parliament as it refused to repeal Test Act: issued declaration of indulgence Appointed Catholics to high positions, and forcibly removed Parliament candidates who opposed him Anti-royalist Whigs joined with pro- royalists Tories to oppose James II On the birth of James’s son, opponents invited William and Mary, James’s Protestant daughter to England

English Constitutionalism Established an unwritten “social contract” between the monarch and the subjects (Locke) Unwritten constitution comprises of –Laws of Parliament –Legal decisions –Tradition Glorious Revolution was not a people’s revolution it was a privileged class revolution Established checks on power of monarchy, but ensured continuation of the monarchy

Glorious Revolution: 1688 James fled: Parliament declared William and Mary co-monarchs (married cousins) William and Mary recognized the Bill of Rights –Indicted James II of transgressions –Limited power of the monarchy –Guaranteed civil liberties to the privileged classes –Parliament to be called at least every three years –Prohibited Catholics from the throne –Declared William and Mary Monarchs Toleration act of 1689: religious freedom for Protestants, except Anti- Trinitarians