Events Leading To Civil War Flashcards
(8 cards)
John Pym
A Somerset MP
Served on parliaments in 1620s and critical of kings power
Leading puritan in commons and lords known as king pym
Able to grow large mobs and rallies
When war began he held MPs together and organised the alliance with Scotland.
Opening of long Parliament
When Charles opened the long Parliament he hoped they would grant him funds needed to crush the Scot’s, but the MPs led by Pym had other ideas. Charles couldn’t fight the Scots without the taxes granted by Parliament. Many MPs criticised Charles advisers but not him personally. Most MPs disliked the personal rule and genuinely believed he had been misled by his advisers and if they were removed Charles and parliament could work together better. Pym blamed the king personally and him and his junto committed treason by secretly urging the Scot’s to keep up the pressure.
King makes his concessions
Majority of MPs were against Charles religious and financial policies and the only way for Charles to win them over was to make concessions.
He accepted the impeachment of many of his advisers including laud who was imprisoned in London. Many fled to France.
In February 1641 he agreed to the triennial act ensuring parliament would sit at least every 3 years.
Pym also went after wentworth for treason but failed on a lack of evidence so MPs used an act of attainder meaning they could declare him guilty without presenting evidence. Charles reluctantly agreed to the verdict and London was filled with angry mobs built by Pym. Wentworth himself advised him to accept to hopefully appease Pym and he signed his death warrant and he was killed on may 1641.
Charles was also forced to accept the own consent act meaning parliament couldn’t just be disolved without its consent. Royal prerogative courts were abolished, shop money and knighthood fines were declared illegal.
Charles also appointed many Parliamentarians into key government roles.
Divisions emerge between MPs 1641
By 1641 all elements of personal rule were dismantled so now the only question was would Charles get his money. Many moderate MPs got what they wanted and were ready to give Charles the taxes but radicals like Pym kept pressing for more. Pym put forward the root and branch petition trying to make the church more puritan, this divided MPs didn’t become law. However in September 1641 Pym and the puritans abolished lauds changes to the church. Many MPs began to dislike Pym and the radical puritan movement. Many moderate MPs fought on Charles side in the war.
Rebellion in ireland 1641
By autumn 1641 a stalemate had been reached. Pym didn’t trust Charles to stick to his concessions and the puritans dominated parliament and demanded restrictions on royal power, Charles was unwilling to grant more concessions but instead promoted moderate MPs to key positions gaining him much support in the House of Lords. The stalemate was broken by a catholic uprising in Ireland in November 1641 and English control was overthrown.
Grand remonstrance 1641
An army was needed to deal with the Irish rebellion but Pym feared Charles would use the army against him and the radicals. But the puritans also saw it as an opportunity to force Charles to accept even more restrictions on his power.
So Pym drew up the grand remonstrance which was voted on in parliament winning 159 to 148 with nearly 200 MPs abstaining to vote. Charles refused it and gained even more support from the growing royalist party in Parliament.
The grand remonstrance meant that
Parliament could control kings ministers
Bishops and catholics had to be banned from the House of Lords
The church had to become more puritan
It directly criticised the king
And was published for ordinary people to read before being discussed possibly Pym trying to stir up trouble in London.
Attempt on five members 1642
Tensions were high and in January 1642 Charles made a huge mistake as he correctly suspected Pym and other leading puritans were communicating with the Scot’s and stirring up London mobs to attack him so on the 4th of January he and his 200 men at arms marched through London to parliament carrying the warrant for the arrest of 5 MPs including Pym but by the time he arrived they had escaped.
Charles broke the parliamentary privilege and his use of force made him seem like a tyrant king and lost lots of support with MPs and with the London mobs growing he left London.
Slide to war 1642
Once Charles fled parliament began to divide with royalist MPs leaving to support the king. Fearing the kings force remaining MPs passed the militia ordinance which meant they had control of London militia not the king which was the only real army. Charles wouldn’t accept this.
In April he unsuccessfully tried to seize the armoury of weapons stored in hull. In June he issued the royal order called the commissions of array meaning he has control of the militia, commanders were put into an impossible situation as they were demanded to support both sides.
In June 1642 Parliament presented the king with the nineteen propositions which were so harsh Charles felt he had to refuse them. Most men didn’t want war but it was unavoidable and in 1642 it began.
