The Puritan Age+
ee Historical Background |
: Tue Stuarts #
1. James 1
7 a ehartes 11625-1649)”
5. Mary I 7. Anne
and
6. William HL
The Stuarts
- os,
% Charles! Tames I died in 1625, and his successor, Charles 1 GGon lowered the prestige
{1825-1649} Je monarchy abroad by UASitéséfal expeditions in France (to help the
juguenots against Richeliew), “Spain. Both the army and the navy had
been Hépietethinder James 1, ingland could not chuilefige France andl
Seat
Spain together. A'Wis policy would have been to preserve the Balance ot
power“iminiito itidintiin peace with France while Spain was master of such a
large part of Europe),
‘The House of Commons refused the subsidies far these wars. Charles. tis
solved Parliament and tried to SDEh#"'money by illegal means and forced idans’™
But funds were still insufficient, and the king was obliged co call a, pasliament
again in 1628. The Commons agreed to grant a large sum of maney.ca.candis
tion that Charles pt the Petition of Righis.a document which ranks
j “Magna Charta or the Great Charter of Liberties of 1215.
‘Two of its most important points were: *"
no man was to pay any tax not approved by Parliament,
@no-man was to be imprisoned arbitrarily, i
‘Aftef this parliament, Charles dic not call another for eleven years (until
1640) and ruled the land as he wished, ignoring the privileges of Members of
Parliaitient, dismissing juciges who interpfeted the law impartially, and remav
ing any control onvhis actions. He was not a Roman Catholic like his wife, Hen-
“Fietta Marla, the daughter of the King of France, but he was in favour of the
High Church, the section of the Anglican Church that gave more importance to
lnurgy than to evangelical practice. W jes | made the high churchman
‘William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury, this faction became stronger. This de?
velopment enraged many Englishmen, above all the Puritan Party, and was
one of the causes of the Civil War. Laud was a gréat churcliman, but he was not
7 atltazitiin, He persecuted the Puritans, while, owing to the influence of the
Queen, he favoured the Roman Catholics. When Laud tried to impose uniform
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+ The Puritan Age +
Worship on the Presbyterians of Scotland, who were against any form of
ray, the Scots rebelied against England
conoii: sifficulties, together with religious problems, made things worse
-herles was ooliged to call a Parliament (1640), WhicHf'Sat'for only one month,
(he Short Partiament), as the king would not tolerate any form of opposition,
‘the Common Lav thé qusiGF between Charles and Parliament was also a quarrel between
fw vloctrines, two conceptions of the law:, Roman Taw, tStiowed by all the
vies of Europe, and Englisty Common Law (ee p. 33). Roman Law re.
dl the king's Wil’ “tbe source of thé LER, the judges were subject t0 the
kingyand were bownd to follow his directions. But the spirit of English Com-
aon Law jsove ' sironger than Roman Law, which derived from an alien
he land belonged to English civilization; the Jaw aas in
tbe King’s will. ft wag ABGve lle king and above his subjects, 10:
the High Court of Parliament could alter it.
‘with Scotland, Charles was obliged to call a par-
six months after the Short Paslia-
Co ‘ney; on the contrary, it passed important acts
#8 To the king. Archbishop Laud was imprisoned.and later execut-
In 1641 the Commons asked-the king t0 relinquish control of all milita
ving) vil and relive
dependent of
* the Civil War
tie execution
sont porary er
is affairs. The king refused, and the Gioil War broke out in
The the egy and a age pa ofthe gehy SCA SE
snd oveve calles| Cavaliers the city of London, other towns, wealthy merchant
snd the middle classes ‘Vere for Parliament, and were called Farliamentanaus
21 Roiundheaus, Por the frst two years thé result of the war Was uncertain; but
large y 89 7S OFM@r Cromwell and his New Model Army (also known as
Iron fhe lang was at last defeated, imprisoned, transferred to London
: | ind, after 4 hasty and unjust{trial, condemned to death and executed in 1649.
2,
se. polo <
the Commots refused A
ds for the. war, how’ did Charles try to-roise
money?
CB When ste bing summoned & periment 1628, ofwharrcendhién did
rant “ifjgoney?
1 Aisicsgpart of the Anglican Church did the King favour and what char
acieiZB® this faction?
Why did the appointment of William Laud enrage many Englishmen? Why
' rebel?
ae
BU) Vi'y wos the quarrel between King and Parliomen! also o quarrel belwesn
7 q
iwor conceptions of law?
Bwiter do you know about the Chal Ware
:Oliver Cromwell
11649-4658)
* The Commonwealth
(1649-1660)
Navigation Acts
No
The Dutch Wor
(1052-1654)
Richard Cromwell
+The Puritan Age +
The Commonwealth gg
the monarchy was abolished, and all powers were entrusted to a Coen
of State, The House of Lords was also abolished, and England was pro-
laimed a Commonwealth (i.¢..a Republic) anda Free State, with a unicameral
Parliament, the Commons (known as the "Rump", ie, what remained of the
old House of Commons). In 1653 the Rump, too, swas dismissed, and the coun-
wry was ruled by the Army. In 1654 England was divided into eleven districts,
ruled by Major Generals, and Oliver Cromwell-was made Lord Protector of
England and Ireland. Cromwell wz yreat man, without the WOFt aspects
of many Puritans; be encouraged fesning (the poet Milton was his Latin Sec-
retary), he liked music, and, aithiguah sometiines rigid, believed in religious
toleration,
In foreign policy he was successful and increased English prestige abroad
He reduced Scoland and Ireland! to submission, revived English sea-power
and reorganized the Navy. In 1651 he renewed the Navigation Acts (which had
been passed under Richard If but selclom observed), by which goods import
ed into England could only be carried by English ships, or by ships belonging
to the exporting countries, This led to a war with Holland, which had been
muster of the sea for a generation and had the greatest share of the cargo trade.
The Dutch were defeated and obliged to accept the English terms.
In his final years Cromwell tried to diminish the power of the Army. The
‘majority of the English people wanted to revive the monarchy; the crows was
offered to Cromwell, but he refused, since the extremist Puritan elements
‘would never have accepted changes in the Republican for
When Cromwell died, in 1658, his son Richard became Protector, but he
was not supported by the Army and was obliged ta resign. After eighteen
months of confusion, a strong man, @@neral MonE>marched from Scotland to.
London, and Geniifided the formation of @ free Parliament. This Parliament
met in 1660, and féstored the monarchy; the late King's son, the future Charles
J, was recalled from Paris (where he had fled because of the Civil Wan), on
‘condition that he granted a general pardon and allowed religious toleration.
‘The return of Charles If from his exile marked the beginning of the Restora-
tion Period. be
Oliver Crommell (an unfinished miniature by
Samuel Cooper, 1609-1672) (private collection)
HI When the Monarchy ond the House of lords were abolished, to. whom were
ll powers eninusted? :
Dvres was*England declored to be?
B. Whot was the socalled "Rump"?
How was England divided in 1654?
Hi Whot kind of man wos Oliver Cromwell?
What did Cromwell renew in 16512 Why did this fact lead to o war with
Holland?
Did the English accept the republican form of government?
BI What evenis led to the Restoration of the Monarchy alter Cromwells death?