5. Relations and disputes with parliaments 1603 - 29 Flashcards
(36 cards)
James’ aims as king (3)
1) Political union of Scotland and England
2) Peace abroad - Rex Pacificus
3) Religious stability and conformity - juxtaposing
1604 parliament
1604-1611, failure after great contract - James started lecturing abt prerogative rights, Pment responds w/ statements abt Pmentary privilege - relationship broken down
Buckinghamshire Election
1604 - During elections for MP of Buckinghamshire region, Francis Goodwin won but not allowed - an outlaw for unpaid debt by (the Crown’s) Court of Chancery. J puts in John Fortescue (privy councilor) - angered Pment, seen as royal interference + J ‘packing’ P with supporters. To solve, James suggested a new election be called altogether.
Union of England and Scotland
James wanted to pursue a POLITICAL unification (currently DYNASTIC) of his 2 kingdoms during 1606 - believe it’s God’s plan to have one nation w/ one faith - ‘can’t have a husband w/ 2 wives’. Pment disagrees - fears he would use the opportunity to rewrite the laws to be more absolutist (anti-Scottish sentiment 1603). Also disagreed on ideas of finance and remaking of parliament.
Why was the political union w/ Scotland opposed by Pment (4)
1) Unrealistic due to anti-Scot hostility - described as ‘murderers, thieves and rouges’ in 1607 by Sir Pigot, Sir Sandys - ‘better than aliens but not equal with natural subjects’
2) Fears that union of commerce would damage English prosperity
3) Merger of Scottish and English law might cost parliament some of its powers
4) Could lead to influx of Scots ready to monopolise patronage
July 1604 Parliament prorogued
Due to Pment’s lack of enthusiasm and delaying tactics in response to James demand of a union by act of law under the name GB (which would extinguish all existing laws).
October 1604 Proclamation
James declares he’s ‘King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith’
Addled Parliament
1614 - 3 months long - Failed Pment refusing James’ need for money - resented from impositions, factional conflict between Howards pro-Spanish faction and the protestant faction, manipulation of MP’s such as Bacon and Neville through goodwill and patronage made fears of absolutism increased.
Reasons why the Addled Pment failed (4)
1) Financial issues - needs funding, debt at £680,000
2) Factional conflict - political dysfunction between Catholic Howards and competing protestant factions
3) Plans for crown interference in elections through patronage (extreme Buckingham election) exposed - increased fears of absolutism
4) Impositions - key source of tension, James wanted to close Pment before discussion properly raised
Treaty of London
1604 - made peace with Spain after 2 decades of war - angered protestants
How did James achieve a FP of alliance with both Catholic and Protestant nations (Rex Pacificus) (3)
1) 1608 - joined Protestant Union of European States (common treasury and army), supported by France + Dutch Republic
2) 1612 - married his daughter to Fredrick Elector Palatine - leading German Protestant prince
3) 1616 - considered marrying C to the Infanta of Spain
This FP was badly received - memories + mythology of Spanish tensions, benefits of protestant relations undermined by flirtation w/ Spain
1621 parliament
Called to scare the Spanish by raising money for war. J is granted 2 subsidies totaling £140,000. MPs focused on the abuse of monopolies. Ended in 1621, disputes over finance, factionalism, religion, favourites, foreign policy and anti-Catholicism.
Impeachment of Lord Chancellor, Sir Francis Bacon
31 May 1621 - In order to detract from MPs focus on the abuse of monopolies partly as a way of attacking the power held by Buckingham, Coke, Cranfield and him encouraged Pment to impeach Francis Bacon over monopoly abuse. (shows how HoC has power to bring office-holders to account)
Execution of Sir Walter Raliegh
29th October 1618 - He kept on raiding Spanish ships when told not to, death caused outcry: protestant hero - Pment frustrated + confused - seemed to not side w/ Protestants (J wants Rex Pacificus)
1621 Protestation
18 Dec - FP traditionally crown prerogative, but in 1621 James allowed parliament to discuss it to convince them of the Spanish match.
3rd Dec - petition criticised it
18th - protestation declared a “undoubted birth right” for parliament to discuss FP + the nature of war w/ Spain (i.e. it being only naval).
30 years war put further strain on James’ relationship with PN.
James’ reaction to the Protestation
Had it torn out of the Commons journal - seen as Pment eating away at the absolute, divinely impressed powers James believed in + quickly dissolved
He found Pment full of ‘fiery and popular spirits’, ‘ill-tempered spirits’, ‘evil-affected and discontented persons’
Trip to Madrid
1623 - aimed to progress negotiations w/ Spain (started in 1616). Unpopular in PN due to Catholicism + expense - cost £47,000. Humiliated, not allowed to access the Infanta so pursued a more popular anti-Spanish FP
1624 parliament
James being ill led to
Buckingham and Charles taking over. Called for money to prepare for war in Anti-Spanish foreign policy - not given. But Pment did supply 6,000 volunteers and funding to help the Dutch war effort, effectively helping the Protestant alliance against the Habsburgs. J appeared to want an aggressive FP to show MPs war was against their financial interests.
March 1625 - James dead, maintained working relationship w/ the PN
At the end of the session a whole series of statutes regulating trade, manufacture + settling complaints abt admin of land law - voiced since ‘04 (‘24 Pment passed 35 statutes compared to 0 in 1614, 1 in 1621, 0 in 1626 + seven in 1628-9, 1604-10 only passed 73)
Buckingham’s spending spree post 1624 Pment
Spent £720,000 on war preparations (not including the navy) against expected receipts of £253k - simply ignored the Subsidy Act
Charles I’s marriage
May 1625 - Henrietta Maria (King Louis XIII of France’s sister). Price of secret marriage treaty = James was to free English Catholics from persecution (unpopular but acceptable - not Spanish) (also brought France into the anti-Habsburg alliance)
Reasons for Charles’ financial struggles/1625 Pment (4)
1) Charles wished to pursue a more aggressive foreign policy to please parliament + the PN + expected a cost of £1,000,000
2) Pment only granted him 2 subsidies (worth £250,000) + tonnage and poundage (custom duties) for 1 year - INSULT (C ignored + collected anyway - avoids Pment).
3) Pment has fears of extravagance + lack of trust for Buckingham (C didn’t explain £ was for FP bc of ideology)
4) Because of this, debt = £2,000,000 by 1629 and Charles was forced to use prerogative income.
Act of Revocation
1625 – cancelled all grants of royal + church land made since 1540 - continued ownership of these being subject to an annual rent – took from Scottish land owners – seen as outside his prerogatives – smacks of absolutism, although compromised w/ compensation assessments still inauspicious in threatening property rights to start his reign in Scotland - ‘the ground stone of all the mischeiffe that folloued after’
Charles’ anti-Spanish ‘front’ (4)
Attempted by C + Buckingham by 1625
1) Alliance w/ Christian IV of Denmark - he’d attack the catholic Hasburgs in North Germany in return for financial support (£360k given, later funding him w/ 12k a month in 1627)
2) Alliance with the Dutch (same terms)
3) Mansfield expedition - £420k consigned to his army
4) sea war w/ Spain to try and cut its supply of Gold + Silver from South Africa (paid for Spanish + Hasburg forces) - ignores the Subsidies Act - 3 land wars causes lack of trust from PN
Mansfield Expedition
1625 - Charles raised 6000 men (through impressment - kidnapped drunkards) shipped off to Holland to get involved in the 30 years war - no training + badly equipped. 4000/6000 died of disease and starvation, rest never went into battle
