Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Again Charles was left the problem of having to raise funds, and to do so rich men were persuaded to buy titles. James’ son Charles was conceited and strongly believed in the divine right of kings. Religion was a major cause of the English Civil War. that his power came from God, so he was answerable only to God. Parliament wasted no time arresting and putting on trial the Kings closest advisers, including Archbishop Laud and Lord Strafford. Causes of the English Civil War Russel Tarr. John Hampden, a powerful MP, famously refused to pay the new tax because Parliament had not agreed to it. But in 1635 Charles decided that everyone should pay because they all benefitted from the navy’s protection. The English civil war was a long chain of conflict and rivalry, which was set between two very powerful forces, who consisted of The Royalists (King Charles I, and his supporters), and the Roundheads (Parliament, and their supporters). In times of financial difficulty that meant the King had to listen to Parliament. Being called upon to help King and country instilled a sense of purpose and power into this new Parliament. Consequently, James suspended Parliament in 1911 and it would not meet for another 10 years. By 1642 Charles I found himself nearly bankrupt, surrounded by blatant corruption and nepotism and desperate to hold onto the thin veil that masked his religious uncertainty. The courts became feared for their censorship of opposing religious views and were unpopular among the propertied classes for inflicting degrading punishments on gentlemen. This is the belief that the King or Queen is chosen by God! A full list of the Kings and Queens of England and Britain, with portraits and photos. And then, in 1629, Charles, much like his father had done, refused to let Parliament meet - he locked the doors to Westminster with large chains and padlocks. Above: Parliament in the time of King Charles I. Charles’s personal rule reads like a ‘how to annoy your countrymen for dummies’. Keywords. This essay will discuss and deal with the different factors that gave rise to the English Civil War.As was said above, one of the main problems of Charles’ reign was the lack of money and, undoubtedly, this was a good reason for a civil war. However, the balance of power had begun to shift. From 1637 to 1642, each of Charles’ kingdoms plunged into civil war, beginning in Scotland from 1637, engulfing Ireland from 1641, and finally England the following year. Start studying Causes of the English Civil War LIVE. One of the biggest issues that led to the English Civil War involved the differences between Catholics and Protestants. Ruling without Parliament was not unprecedented but without access to Parliament’s financial pulling power, Charles’s ability to acquire funds was limited. The English Civil War/Causes. Over the next year Parliament began to introduce increased emboldened demands, and by June 1642 these were too much for Charles to bear. Another tactic Charles used was to make the country pay what is known as Ship Money. Under Charles I’s father James I the role of monarchy had begun to decline. In 1621, Parliament was recalled as James wished to discuss the future marriage between his son, Charles, and a Spanish princess. Rise of the Middle Classes It was also made a condition of the treaty that King Charles I set about lifting restrictions for recusants (that is Catholics who refused to attend Anglican Church services)… These two points demonstrate the fact that Charles believed in his Divine Right, a right to rule unchallenged. The concept of a God given right to rule was not born in this period however; writings as far back as AD 600 infer that the English in their varied Anglo-Saxon states accepted those in power had God’s blessing. Between the years 1625 and 1629, Charles and Parliament clashed over money and religion. From Wikibooks, open books for an open world ... To understand why Civil War erupted in England following decades of strong and powerful rule by the monarchy and why the "Supreme Head" of the land, the king himself was executed, we need to delve in to some background history first. The resultant backlash and popular opposition however proved that there was growing support for a check on the power of the King. Charles’s decision to extend a year-round Ship Tax to all counties in England provided around £150,000 to £200,000 annually between 1634 and 1638.. More from Wes about the causes of the Civil War. When this support was withheld, Charles saw it as an infringement on his Divine Right and as such, he dismissed Parliament in March 1629. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. That is not to say it was inevitable, or that the subsequent removal and execution of Charles I was even a notion in the heads of those who opposed him. The southern states were in favour of expanding the scope of slavery, while the northern states fought against it. As a result, the E… In return for their help, Parliament made several demands: Laud and Strafford would be removed as advisors and put on trial. The Long-Term Causes of the English Civil War • Believed in the divine right of kings – i.e. Furthermore, Charles’ support for his friend Archbishop William Laud’s reforms to the English Church were seen by many as a move backwards to the popery of Catholicism. Under this definition any attempt to depose, dethrone or restrict the powers of the monarch goes against the will of God. 2015. He was put on trial and found guilty, but he became a hero for standing up to the king. For the Royalists, the nickname is fairly simple in origin. The sides were crystallized and the battle lines were drawn. The slide to war becomes more pronounced from this stage onwards. The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians ("Roundheads") and Royalists ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of religious freedom. The Civil War erupted from a variety of long-standing … Fought between 1642–1651, the English Civil War saw King Charles I (1600–1649) battle Parliament for control of the English government. Pitting brother against brother and father against son, the English civil war is a blot on our history. The causes of the English civil war 1. Therefore, arguing or disagreeing with the King/Queen was seen as a disagreement with God’s servant. Ryan Reeves 93,277 views. For example, in 1637 William Prynne, Henry Burton and John Bastwick were pilloried, whipped, mutilated by cropping and imprisoned indefinitely for publishing anti-episcopal pamphlets. About us  |   To prosecute those who opposed his reforms, Laud used the two most powerful courts in the land, the Court of High Commission and the Court of Star Chamber. The English Civil War was a conflict between the Parliament and Charles I. Firstly, England, and specifically Parliament, exhibited a rabid paranoia concerning Catholicism in the 17th century. to the English Civil War in 1642 and which ended up with the public execution of Charles I. If Parliament was dismissed, no more than three years would elapse before a new Parliament was called. civil war England Europe history . However, less is known but much is debated about the causes since they did This was a disaster for Charles who had neither the money nor the men to fight a war. His lack of funds meant that in 1640 Charles had no choice but to recall Parliament. Civil war was now on its way. The causes of the English civil war could be because of the 19 propostions. Became a hero for standing up to the English Civil War following eleven years Tyranny means an leader. 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