Charles' aims and problems in 1625

Question 1

What were Charles I’s main aims when he became king in 1625?

Answer 1

Strengthen royal authority.
Rule with Divine Right of Kings.
Secure religious uniformity (support for Arminianism).
Maintain peace and prestige abroad.
Gain financial independence from Parliament.

Question 2

What financial problems did Charles I face in 1625?

Answer 2

Inherited debt of over £1 million from James I.
Needed money for war with Spain.
Parliament only granted limited subsidies.
Tonnage and poundage granted for 1 year, not life.

Question 3

Why was the 1625 Parliament reluctant to grant Charles money?

Answer 3

Distrust of Charles’s favourite, the Duke of Buckingham.
Concerns over foreign policy and religious direction.
Parliament wanted more control over expenditure.
Charles’s secretive nature and lack of consultation.

Question 4

Who was the Duke of Buckingham and why was he a problem?

Answer 4

Charles’s chief advisor and favourite.
Seen as corrupt and incompetent.
Blamed for failed foreign policy (e.g. Cádiz expedition).
Deeply unpopular in Parliament.

Question 5

What were Charles’s religious aims in 1625?

Answer 5

Promote religious uniformity in the Church of England.
Supported Arminianism (more ceremonial, hierarchical).
Married Catholic French princess Henrietta Maria.
This alarmed Puritans and Parliament.

Question 6

What foreign policy problems did Charles face in 1625?

Answer 6

Ongoing war with Spain.
Failed Cádiz expedition.
Pressure to support Protestant allies in Europe.
Lack of funds hampered military success.

Question 7

How did Charles’s view of kingship create conflict?

Answer 7

Believed in Divine Right of Kings.
Saw Parliament as subordinate to the crown.
Unwilling to compromise or explain decisions.
This led to tensions over power and money.