King Charles I in

comparison to
King James VI &
I
Eleni and Larisa
Content

• Childhood
• Character
• Religion
• Finance
• Foreign policy
• Relationship with parliament
Childhood
King Charles I
• Born in Dunfermline Palace, Fife on
19 November 1600
• Sickly baby, delicate child
• Stammer for all his life
• He was temporarily left behind in
Scotland
• Became lonely when his brother
died, and his sister went to marry
Frederick V
King James VI & I
• Born in Edinburgh, Scotland on
June 19th, 1566
• He became king at the age of 13
months when his mother
abdicated
• The young king was kept
isolated but was given a good
education until age 14
• James was kidnapped in 1582
• In 1583 he escaped from his
Character

King Charles I King James VI & I

• Strongly believed in the divine
right
• Personal rule
• Struggled with speech and
isolated himself from the access
of parliament
• Strongly believed in the divine
right
• Had a fear of threats to the
throne (father murdered, mother
executed)
• Strong, intelligent and
ideological King
• Easily accepted strong
resentment from parliament on
many policies
Religion
King Charles I
• Disliked puritan belief
• Was viewed as a supporter of
Arminianism
• Reissued the 1618 Book of
sports
• Lenient with Catholics
• Later towards his
reign Laudianism
King James VI & I
• Disliked puritan belief
• Strayed away from Scottish
Presbyterianism he was
traumatically brought up by
• Lenient with Catholics
• Was lenient toward all religions
Finance
King Charles I
• Struggled to pass legislation
• needed money for his
involvement in the 30-year war
• Charles found the treasury
practically empty on coming to
the throne
• Used monopoly (e.g., soap)
• Pushed highly criticized policies
such as the Forced Loan and
Ship Money
King James VI & I
• Struggled to pass legislation
• Couldn’t gain subsidies due to
his extravagant lifestyle (failure
of the Great contract 1610)
• Used monopoly (Cockayne
project 1614)
• Chose to understand Parliament
at times
Foreign policy
King Charles I
• Wanted Scotland to join the
union
• Pushed for reform
• Beginning of his reign was
fundamental to success (lack
of) against France and Spain
• Moved into Ireland with
Wentworth and Lord Deputy
• Made agreements with
King James VI & I
• Wanted Scotland to join the
union
• Failed in 1606
• Tried to bring the church closer
to that in England
• Hesitant to join the 30-year
war, declared war on Spain
towards the end of his reign
Relationship with parliament

King Charles I  King James VI & I

• Issue over Buckingham and • Issue over Buckingham and
royal advisors in general royal advisors in general
• Pushed boundaries with
parliament which inevitably lead
to the civil war
• Five knights case heavily
detested by parliament
• His personal rule was detested
by parliament
Bibliography
• Why Did Charles I Believe in the Divine Right of Kings? | History Hit
• James and Parliament - History Learning Site
• James I | Accomplishments, Religion, Successor, & Facts | Britannica
• Charles I Of England Biography - Childhood, Life Achievements & Ti
meline (thefamouspeople.com)
• The Stuarts: James I, Charles I, and the English Civil War (britainexpr
ess.com)
• King Charles I - Historic UK (historic-uk.com)
The End