Charles source question - summer exam Flashcards
What was the nature of Charles I’s court?
It was formal, ceremonious, and highly controlled, reflecting Charles’s belief in order and hierarchy.
Why was Charles I’s court criticized?
It was seen as remote, overly influenced by Catholic-style rituals, and dominated by unpopular figures like the Duke of Buckingham.
How did Charles I’s court differ from his father’s?
Unlike James I’s lively and accessible court, Charles’s court was strict, refined, and centered on royal dignity.
What were key traits of Charles I’s character?
He was shy, reserved, devout, and principled, but also stubborn and inflexible.
How did Charles I’s personality affect his rule?
His unwillingness to compromise and poor communication contributed to rising tensions with Parliament.
How did Charles I’s upbringing shape him?
As a younger son not raised to be king, he developed a deep sense of duty and divine purpose when unexpectedly inheriting the crown.
What was Charles I’s view of kingship?
He believed in the Divine Right of Kings – that monarchs were appointed by God and answered only to Him.
How did Charles’s view of monarchy affect his policies?
He resisted limits on his power, dissolved Parliament multiple times, and ruled without it during the Personal Rule (1629–1640).
What religious influences shaped Charles I’s monarchy?
He was strongly influenced by Arminianism and supported high Anglican practices, which alarmed Puritans and Protestants.
What strengths did Charles I have as king?
He was cultured, dedicated to duty, and had a strong sense of royal authority, which helped maintain order during early instability.
How did Charles I support the arts?
He was a major patron of the arts, helping to elevate British cultural prestige through architecture, painting, and music.
What were Charles I’s main weaknesses?
Poor political judgment, lack of flexibility, reliance on unpopular advisors, and failure to manage Parliament effectively.
How did Charles I’s financial policies weaken his reign?
His use of forced loans, ship money, and other non-Parliamentary taxation alienated much of the gentry and middle classes.
How did Charles I contribute to the outbreak of civil war?
His authoritarian style, religious reforms, and refusal to compromise with Parliament escalated tensions that led to war in 1642.
What was Charles I’s 1625 marriage seen as a failure in religious policy?
His marriage to Catholic Henrietta Maria of France alarmed Protestants and sparked fears of a Catholic influence at court.
What religious policy in 1629 contributed to Charles’s growing unpopularity?
He promoted Arminianism and appointed William Laud as Bishop of London, enforcing ceremonial reforms many saw as ‘popish’.
What was the impact of the 1633 appointment of Laud as Archbishop of Canterbury?
Laud imposed high church reforms across England and Scotland, leading to resistance and fears of Catholicism.
What event in 1637 showed religious failure in Scotland?
Charles tried to impose the English Prayer Book in Scotland, sparking riots and the Bishops’ Wars (1639–40).
What political event in 1629 began Charles’s Personal Rule?
Charles dissolved Parliament after disputes over subsidies and criticism of his advisors, beginning 11 years of personal government.
Why was the Personal Rule (1629–1640) called the ‘Eleven Years’ Tyranny’?
Charles ruled without Parliament, using prerogative courts and raising revenue through unpopular methods like Ship Money.
What was Ship Money, and why did it fail politically?
A tax traditionally for coastal defense, it was imposed nationwide from 1634; seen as illegal without Parliament’s consent.
What was the significance of the Hampden Case (1637)?
John Hampden refused to pay Ship Money; though Charles won the case, public support for Hampden revealed opposition to royal policy.
What success did Charles I achieve with peace in the 1630s?
He avoided foreign wars, reducing military costs after signing peace with Spain (Treaty of Madrid, 1630) and France (1629).
What economic failure arose from Charles’s financial policies?
Forced loans, revival of obscure feudal dues (like Distraint of Knighthood), and monopolies created widespread resentment.
