Division And Persecution Flashcards
The ministry of Danby - his aims
Improve Charles’ relationship with parliament
Increase Charles’ popularity - defender of the Anglican Church
Good relations with Dutch and severing ties with French
Improve finances - extravagance of court reduced, crowns finances more secure
Who were the Cabal and what did they do?
Charles’ new group of advisors
Mixture of men - Clifford was Catholic, lauderdale sympathised with the Scottish
No united front - differences in religion and thereby no agreement on public policy
Charles played them off against each other to strengthen his rule
Third Dutch war and fall of Buckingham and Arlington in 1674 saw the end of the cabal
How did Danby aim to re establish Charles’ Protestant credibility?
Charles advised to follow a conciliatory policy - commons examined the edited articles of the French alliance to assure of no secret clauses (a lie), Catholics banished from court, regiments disbanded
How did Danby create supporters for Charles?
Created supporters through patronage and bribery
Relations with William of Orange who was eager to establish pro-Dutch feelings
How did Danby improve finances?
Treaty of Westminster made peace with the Dutch - improved economic trade
Yield of old taxes exceeded those of 1660
Excise and hearth taxes fully exploited
What was the Test Bill?
Loyalty test - all MPs and officers must agree to not try to change the government as established in either church or state (prevent real reform), MPs had to take an oath against the lawfulness of resistance to royal authority
Some opposition but all of the main clauses were passed
The emergence of Shaftesbury (country) in opposition - new bill attempted, Danby attempted impeachment,
Parliament of 1673 and 1674
Would only give Charles money if he withdrew the declaration of indulgence and issued a Test Act
The second session saw Charles do little to stop attacks on Buckingham and Arlington and the treaty of Westminster passed
Parliament of 1675 and 1677
First session was inconclusive - Charles asked for more money and granted £300,000
Prorogued for 15 months which Danby used to strengthen his position
New session saw Buckingham and Wharton claim the sitting was illegal due to long prerogation and they were sent to the tower
Secret treaty of Dover 1670
Charles was to declare himself a Catholic and help the French win a war against the Dutch
Louis gives Charles £300,000 per year
Negotiated by Charles without parliament
1672 declaration of indulgence
Suspended all laws against nonconformists and Catholicos
Catholics free to worship privately
Parliament disliked this
Third Dutch war 1673-74
French very successful
Dutch propaganda suggested that the aim of Anglo-French alliance was to spread Catholicism one England
The fall of Danby
Montagu was sent to France to ask for further subsidies
He then revealed these negotiations after a disagreement with Danby
Commons outraged and voted 179:161 to impeach Danby - House of Lords refused
Cavalier parliament dissolved by Charles
Successes of Danby
Organised the marriage of James Protestant daughter, Mary, to William of Orange in 1677
Helped end third Dutch war
Fairly strong base of supporters for Charles
Improved finances
Failures of Danby
Never had the Kings full support Failed to prevent Charles' extravagant spending Debt increased Secret negotiations with France Cause of division
What did the ‘country’ group stand for?
Defend the rights and privileges of parliament against the crowns prerogative and defend Protestantism
