Stuart England - James I, Charles I & the English Civil War

Summary

This lecture delves into the Stuart reign in England, beginning with James I's belief in the divine right of kings and his conflict with Parliament over taxation and religious issues, including the rise of Puritanism. James I's son, Charles I, continued these policies, leading to the English Civil War in 1642. Oliver Cromwell emerged as a military and political leader, executing Charles I and establishing a Puritan republic. Cromwell's strict moral codes and controversial policies in Ireland and Scotland eventually led to the restoration of the monarchy with Charles II.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Stuarts came to power in England after Queen Elizabeth I's death in 1603, with James I, son of Mary Queen of Scots, becoming king.
• 👑 James I was a strong believer in the divine right of kings and was not inclined to work with Parliament, particularly on matters of taxation.
• 💼 To raise funds without Parliament's approval, James I levied new customs duties known as 'impositions'.
• 📖 James I published the King James Bible in 1611, a well-studied and translated version that helped appease the masses.
• 👦 Charles I, James' son, was also a believer in the divine right of kings and continued to levy impositions, including 'ship money', to fund wars and court life.
• 🏛 Charles I faced opposition from Parliament, who demanded reforms and the signing of the Petition of Rights, asserting that the king was subject to the law.
• 🤝 Charles I's refusal to work with Parliament and his policies led to tensions and eventually the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642.
• ⚔️ The Civil War saw the formation of the 'Roundheads', led by Oliver Cromwell, who created a new and effective army that eventually defeated the 'Cavaliers', supporters of Charles I.
• 🏛️ The conflict between moderates and radicals in Parliament after the Civil War led to Charles I's trial and execution in 1649, marking the end of the monarchy for a time.
• 🕊️ The period of the Commonwealth under Cromwell saw strict Puritan rule, including the banning of sports, theater, dancing, and Christmas celebrations.
• 🌐 Cromwell's policies towards Ireland and Scotland were harsh, leading to significant depopulation and unrest in both regions.

Q & A

Who came to the throne after Queen Elizabeth I's death in 1603?

James I, the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the King of Scotland, succeeded to the throne after Queen Elizabeth I's death.

What was James I's view on the divine right of kings?

James I was a strong believer in the divine right of kings, asserting that the monarch's authority came directly from God and was not to be questioned by parliament or the people.

How did James I attempt to raise funds without parliament's approval?

James I raised funds by levying new customs duties known as 'impositions', which was a way of circumventing the need for parliamentary approval for taxation.

What religious group was growing in numbers under James I and Elizabeth I?

The Puritans, a Calvinist group, were growing in numbers during the reigns of both Elizabeth I and James I.

Why did the Puritans want changes to the Anglican Church?

The Puritans wanted the Anglican Church to adopt more Calvinist doctrines, reflecting their own religious beliefs and practices.

What significant religious controversy did Charles I cause by marrying a Catholic?

Charles I's marriage to the Catholic Henrietta Maria, the sister of King Louis XIII of France, was highly controversial and fueled fears of a Catholic revival in England.

What was the Petition of Rights and what did it demand from the king?

The Petition of Rights was a document presented to Charles I by Parliament, demanding that the king be subject to the law, could not levy taxes without parliamentary approval, impose forced loans, declare martial law in peacetime, imprison citizens without trial, or quarter troops in private homes.

Why did the English Civil War break out in 1642?

The English Civil War broke out in 1642 due to escalating tensions between the king and Parliament over issues such as taxation, religious reforms, and the king's perceived disregard for the law and parliamentary authority.

Who was Oliver Cromwell and what role did he play in the English Civil War?

Oliver Cromwell was a farmer and a member of Parliament who rose to prominence during the English Civil War. He formed the New Model Army, which played a crucial role in defeating the Royalists at the Battle of Naseby and other engagements.

What was the outcome of Charles I's trial and what did it signify for the monarchy?

Charles I was found guilty of treason by the Rump Parliament and was beheaded in 1649. This event marked the end of the monarchy and the beginning of a republic in England, albeit a short-lived one.

How did Oliver Cromwell's rule impact the cultural and religious life in England?

Cromwell's rule, influenced by Puritan beliefs, imposed strict moral codes and regulations on the people of England. He banned sports, theater, dancing, and even the celebration of Christmas, which greatly alienated many English people.

What was the Act of Settlement 1652 and what were its consequences?

The Act of Settlement was a law passed by Cromwell that redistributed the lands of two-thirds of the Catholic property owners in Ireland to Protestant English colonists. This led to significant suffering and the death of approximately 15-20% of the Irish population.

Why did the English people eventually call for the return of the monarchy?

After Cromwell's death, his son Richard proved to be an ineffective ruler, and the republican government struggled to address the nation's needs. This led to a desire for stability and the restoration of the monarchy, which occurred with the return of King Charles II.

Outlines

00:00

👑 The Stuart Reign and Divine Right of Kings

The video script discusses the beginning of the Stuart dynasty in England, starting with James I's ascension to the throne after Queen Elizabeth I's death in 1603. James I's belief in the divine right of kings and his strained relationship with Parliament are highlighted. His approach to raising funds without parliamentary approval through impositions is critiqued. Additionally, the script touches on the religious conflicts during his reign, especially the growing Puritan movement and its influence on the gentry, and James I's unsuccessful attempts to appease them. The publication of the King James Bible in 1611 is noted as a significant event that helped to mitigate public resentment. The script also introduces Charles I, James' son, who shared his father's beliefs and faced similar challenges, including the Petition of Rights and the growing tension with Parliament that eventually led to the English Civil War.

05:01

🛡 The English Civil War and the Rise of Oliver Cromwell

This paragraph delves into the English Civil War that erupted in 1642, triggered by the escalating tensions between King Charles I and Parliament over issues such as taxation and religious reforms. The script outlines the formation of opposing factions: the Royalists (Cavaliers) and the Parliamentarians (Roundheads), with distinct regional and social affiliations. It details the military and political rise of Oliver Cromwell, a previously obscure figure, who created the New Model Army that eventually defeated the Cavaliers. The script also covers the trial and execution of Charles I, the subsequent establishment of a republic, and the internal divisions within Parliament that led to the rise of Cromwell as a de facto dictator, implementing strict Puritan policies that significantly impacted English society.

10:01

🏛 Cromwell's Rule and the Restoration of the Monarchy

The final paragraph of the script describes Cromwell's rule in England, characterized by strict Puritan legislation that banned sports, theater, dancing, and even Christmas celebrations. It also touches on Cromwell's policies towards Ireland and Scotland, which led to significant population decline and unrest. The script mentions Cromwell's allowance of Jewish people to settle in England in 1655, which, despite being a step towards religious tolerance, was overshadowed by the negative consequences of his other policies. The paragraph concludes with the eventual unpopularity of Cromwell's rule due to the suppression of cultural activities and the call for the return of the monarchy after Cromwell's death in 1658, leading to the Restoration and the ascension of King Charles II.

Keywords

💡Absolutism

Absolutism refers to a form of government where the ruler holds supreme and unrestricted power. In the context of the video, it discusses the age of absolutism in Europe, particularly focusing on the Stuart reign in England, where the monarchs believed in the divine right to rule without the need for parliamentary consent, as illustrated by James I's and Charles I's attitudes towards governance.

💡Stuart Reign

The Stuart Reign denotes the period in British history when the Stuart dynasty ruled over England and Scotland. The video script covers the beginning of this reign with James I's ascension to the throne in 1603 and continues through the reign of his son, Charles I, highlighting their belief in the divine right of kings and the conflicts that arose with Parliament and religious groups.

💡Divine Right of Kings

The Divine Right of Kings is a political and religious doctrine that asserts that kings derive their authority from God and are therefore accountable only to God. The video explains how both James I and Charles I were strong believers in this concept, leading to their conflicts with Parliament, especially over issues like taxation and religious reforms.

💡Parliament

Parliament, in the context of the video, refers to the legislative body in England that had grown accustomed to working with the Tudor monarchs. It became a point of contention with the Stuart kings, who sought to exert their authority without parliamentary interference, particularly in matters of taxation and governance.

💡Puritans

Puritans were a significant religious group during the Elizabethan and Stuart eras, characterized by their Calvinist beliefs and desire for further Protestant reforms within the Church of England. The video describes how the Puritans, including many wealthy gentry, sought changes in the Anglican Church, which was resisted by both James I and Charles I, contributing to religious tensions.

💡Petition of Rights

The Petition of Rights was a significant document presented to Charles I by Parliament, asserting that the king was subject to the law and could not levy taxes or impose martial law without parliamentary approval. The video highlights the Petition as a pivotal point in the struggle between the monarchy and Parliament, with Charles I's refusal to comply leading to further conflict.

💡Ship Money

Ship Money was a tax imposed by Charles I on coastal towns to fund naval defenses, which he used to bypass parliamentary consent for taxation. The video script describes this as a controversial action that further alienated the king from his subjects and contributed to the growing discontent leading to the English Civil War.

💡English Civil War

The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political disputes between the Parliamentarians (or 'Roundheads') and the Royalists (or 'Cavaliers') from 1642 to 1651. The video details the war's outbreak due to Charles I's refusal to accept the authority of Parliament and the subsequent formation of opposing armies, leading to a period of intense conflict.

💡Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell was a key figure in the English Civil War, initially a relatively unknown farmer who rose to prominence as a military and political leader. The video describes his role in creating the New Model Army, which played a decisive role in defeating the Royalists, and his eventual rise to power as Lord Protector of England after the execution of Charles I.

💡Rump Parliament

The Rump Parliament refers to the remaining members of the English Parliament after Colonel Thomas Pride purged the more moderate members. The video explains that this action allowed for the trial and execution of Charles I, as it created a parliament more inclined to support the radicals' agenda of ending the monarchy.

💡Commonwealth

The Commonwealth of England was the republican government that replaced the monarchy after the execution of Charles I in 1649. The video script discusses the period of the Commonwealth as one of political and social upheaval, with Oliver Cromwell eventually taking on a role similar to a dictator, imposing strict Puritan moral codes on the country.

Highlights

The Stuarts came to power in England after the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603, with James I ascending the throne.

James I's belief in the divine right of kings and his reluctance to work with Parliament on matters like taxation strained relations.

James I introduced new customs duties known as impositions to raise funds without Parliamentary approval.

Religious conflict arose under James I, with the growing Puritan movement and his refusal to reform the Anglican Church.

James I's actions, such as making peace with Catholic Spain and relaxing penal laws against Catholics, angered the Puritans.

The King James Bible, published in 1611, was a strategic move by James I to appease the masses and mitigate resentment.

Charles I, like his father, held a strong belief in the divine right of kings and continued to levy impositions.

Charles I's reign saw a lack of cooperation with Parliament, leading to tensions and the eventual Petition of Rights.

Parliament's demands for the Petition of Rights were rejected by Charles I, who continued to impose taxes unilaterally.

The collection of ship money by Charles I, a tax on coastal towns for naval defense, caused further controversy.

Charles I's marriage to a Catholic and his stance on religion fueled fears of a Catholic revival in England.

The 1640s saw escalating tensions between the monarchy and Parliament, culminating in the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642.

Oliver Cromwell's rise to prominence and the formation of the New Model Army were pivotal in the defeat of the Royalists.

The execution of Charles I in 1649 marked a significant shift in English governance, with the establishment of a republic.

Oliver Cromwell's rule as Lord Protector introduced strict Puritan laws, impacting social life and religious practices.

Cromwell's policies in Ireland and Scotland led to significant conflict and population decline.

The unpopularity of Cromwell's rule and the ineffectiveness of his son Richard's leadership led to the Restoration of the monarchy.

Transcripts

hello and welcome to the continuation of

our lecture series on the age of

absolutism in europe

today we're going to chart on off to

england and cover the beginning

of the stuart reign here at learning the

social sciences

[Music]

the stewards came to the throne after

the death of queen elizabeth the first

in 1603 she died without an

heir and so james the first the son of

mary queen

of scots also the king of scotland

came to the throne now he was somebody

who quickly

alienated a parliament that was grown

accustomed to working

with the tudor monarchs for him he was a

strong believer in the divine right of

kings

and he was not one who wanted to go

and dabble around with parliament when

it came to taxes

for example a speech that he gave to the

house of commons he stated

i am surprised that my ancestors should

ever be permitted such an institution to

come into existence

i am a stranger and found it here when i

arrived so that i am obliged to put

up with what i cannot get rid of

of course right there he is saying

loudly

that he is not one that wants to work

with parliament

however parliament is in charge of

taxation so what is he going to do when

he wants to

raise taxes well for him he would go and

levy

new customs duties known as impositions

to raise money

in other words he's changing up the

vocabulary and kind of changing the

system a little bit

to raise some money now this is going to

be causing

obviously some issues on top of the

issue of taxation he also has

a rising religious conflict of bruin

so the puritans who started under

elizabeth the first

as a calvinist group is growing in

numbers

in fact a whole bunch of gentry very

wealthy landlords that landowners that

are just

a not below the nobility

are converting to puritanism and they

want to see some changes to the anglican

church

however james the first is not going to

do it

he is also going to cause issues with

the puritans when he made

peace with catholic spain and when he

relaxed penal laws against the catholic

finally they really became angered when

he did not support

any of the protestants on the continent

during the 30 years war

and so with the stewards they're already

kind of gaining

up some enemies or at least some

conspiracy theories

within england however james the first

is able to kind of see

the storm of brewing and he is one to go

and appease the people he has the king

james bible published in 1611

and he gives it to the masses so they

have a well studied

and translated version of the bible

of course it does contain a lot of these

and vows but for the time period the

people are very

happy to have that and he is able to

kind of squash any of that

big resentment movement from gaining

hold

however his son charles the first is not

going to be as politically savvy as

his father he is also going to be seen

as rather

inflexible and he really just had to

learn

at least one point of his life to say

i'm sorry but he never does

charles the first started to reign in

1625 and he is also a believer in the

divine right of kings

he also fathers it follows his father's

footsteps

by funding his wars with spain

and his court life by levying terrorist

duties and those

impositions he is not one that wants to

work with parliament

however he does call them from time to

time just to see

if he can actually get some taxes

through and

what i'm saying from time to time it

comes later in his

reign because for 10 years he never

called parliament once

however whenever he does call parliament

they want him to sign the petition

of rights with this they are saying that

the king was subject to the law and he

could not levy taxes without the

approval of parliament

he could not impose forced loans loans

on his subjects

and he could not declare martial law in

peacetime when he would imprison

citizens they have to have a trial

and they also put in there that he could

not quarter troops

in private homes now of course whenever

parliament came to charles with the

petition of rights

he went and well disbanded them

and sent them home instead he went on

and continued to collect those

impositions and he collected something

called ship money

a tax on coastal towns to pay for their

defense

i guess it kind of sounds a little

mafia-esque but he would kind of say hey

coastal cities

if you want to ensure that there's no

pirate ships outside your harbor

give us some money and we'll make sure

that the royal navy protects

your harbor not really the nicest thing

but it was something that happened he

caused controversy when he went and

married the catholic sister of francis

king

louis xiii and it was so controversial

that he actually sent

over uh somebody to stand in for him

for the actual catholic wedding in

france

uh which is probably not the best thing

if you are the future

queen of england to get married to a

stand-in

however it's what kind of needed to have

happen of course the puritans just like

under james the first are pushing

to have some changes happen to the

anglican doctrine

and to make it more calvinist but

charles is not budging on that

either and so there are some people that

are fearing a catholic revival

just like they did under james the first

now in terms of parliament we are having

a lot of tensions grow

in the 1640s so much so that we are

going to actually have a civil war

breakout in 1642.

in 1640 the king desperately needed

money and so he

called parliament into session in april

and it only lasts three weeks before he

dissolved them because they demanded

reforms

in august he calls them back for what is

known as long parliament

however with this the same thing happens

and

nothing gets really done and the king

just kind of says nope not gonna do it

now in the summer of 1642 charles went

to go have

the leaders of parliament arrested for

not

doing the course of government now

during this though they were able to

escape

and they went off and formed their own

army

the round heads and so war broke out

between the royalists the supporters of

charles the first known as the cavaliers

and the parliamentarians or those round

heads named after the shape of their

metal helmets

so the royalists predominantly were

backed by the house of lords

and the aristocracy or the large land

owners

also the church officials usually backed

up charles the first and when i'm saying

church officials i'm saying anglican

church officials

also predominantly for the population

the rural population were following the

royalists or the cavaliers

and they were predominantly found in the

north and west of england

in terms of those parliamentarians their

backers were

mainly from the south and the east of

england and we're puritans

we also have merchants and town people

and a more urban population

following and supporting them now of

course there's going to be numerous

battles that happen throughout this war

in the beginning it seems like yes it is

going to be charles victory

but the parliamentarians have a good

streak

where they are winning oliver cromwell

a farmer that no one knew prior to the

war uh that had done some time in

parliament

but really had not been a standout

created a new

effective army called the new model army

and with this he was able to defeat the

cavaliers

at the battle of nasbi and other battles

and eventually long story short they

were able to take the king

prisoner after a little kind of mix-up

there by the king with scotland

now as the civil war drew to an end

parliament became divided between

moderates and radicals and what should

happen to charles the first and his role

with the government

cromwell and others wanted to see an end

to the monarchy and with that

we are going to have charles put on

trial

now can a king actually commit treason

against the king huh or is it that a

king could actually commit treason

against

his country well for that

we have something called rump parliament

happen a man by the name of colonel

thomas pride went

in and executed 96 moderates

from the house of commons to be able to

sway the votes

to have a guilty verdict be called now

charles throughout the trial maybe would

have been able to save himself if he

kind of said i'm sorry

and actually worked with parliament but

he is one that stood by

well what he thought was right and so

he was found guilty and was beheaded

in january of 1649

and with that we then have a new system

coming into play in england

for a period of time we have the

government being run

as a republic but they're not really

effective

at pushing through the needed items that

need to be dealt with

and so oliver cromwell eventually comes

to

rule england much like a dictator

now with this he goes and passes

various pieces of legislation that are

very puritan

for example no more sports no more

theater

no more dancing and definitely no

christmas no christmas what why no

christmas

well there is no talk about the

celebration of christmas

in the bible yes we have christmas

happening in the bible with the birth of

jesus but we don't have this like every

year celebration

for this and so christmas is cancelled

don't practice that don't do that now

after the civil war

we have a obvious depopulation of some

skilled

individuals and so oliver cromwell does

actually open england

up to allowing jewish people to come in

in

1655. now that could be seen as

something like a

wow great move tour towards religious

tolerance

however we then have a lot of issues

with oliver cromwell

with scotland and with ireland

in 1649 carmel invaded ireland to put

down an irish uprising that had

favored royalist forces in england he

then passes the act of settlement in

1652 where the land from two-thirds of

the catholic property owners was given

to protestant english colonists

this is going to cause a lot of problems

within

ireland and we are going to have around

15 to 20 percent of the irish population

perish under cromwell's policies it

is going to be brutal in

ireland he also goes in and causes a lot

of problems

in scotland from 1651 to 1652 he moved

on in and conquered scotland

now the scots do have a continued strong

support of presbyterians in

england and with that he can't push and

have as much happen in scotland as he

did

in ireland however things are also just

not necessarily the greatest there

now in terms of puritan society the

puritan controlled the government

and sought to regulate the moral life of

england by commanding

that people follow strict moral codes

that were enforced by the army

this seriously alienated though many of

the english people from crownwall's rule

remember elizabethan theater is huge and

now you can't do it

you can't go and play sports you can't

even celebrate

christmas what and so when chris

when carmel died in 1658 and it seemed

that his son richard did not

want to rule and was also going to be an

ineffective ruler

the people of england called for the

monarchs to return and we are going to

have the restoration

with king charles ii happening however

that will be for our next

lecture if you have any questions or

comments please leave them down below

and thank you very much for listening

bye bye