Failure to achieve a settlement

Question 1

Charles attitude to negotiations

Answer 1

Charles had no intention of agreeing to these
“So that I shall be King” to Lord Digby

Question 2

Charles response to Newcastle propositions

Answer 2

Wanted to reduce the demands of the Newcastle propositions

Control of militia to be 10 not 20

Presbyterian worship for 3 years only

Freedom of worship to be guaranteed

He was too late with his concessions

Question 3

Newcastle propositions 1646

Answer 3

Episcopacy was to be abolished

Armed forces controlled by military for 20 years

Strict laws against catholics

Question 4

Four Bills 1647

Answer 4

Surrender all military power for 20 years

Crown would be required to get consent of both houses of parliament before authorising

Question 5

Heads of the Proposals 1647

Answer 5

Episcopacy would be retained, but power of bishops severely limited

Book of common prayer was allowed to read but not mandatory

Royalists would have to wait 5 years before running for or holding an office

Question 6

Vote of No Addresses 1648

Answer 6

This forbids further negotiation with Charles following The Engagement 1647

Question 7

Role of Oliver Cromwell

Answer 7

Cromwell believed strongly in providentialism, thought that God was guiding his actions. Meant that he could claim divine support for his views.

Determined that the war should not prove to have been fought in vain, but by no means did he have the aim of removing the King

Had little sympathy to Presbyertian ideas as the authority of the ministers in the Scottish Kirk was very similar to that of the bishops of the Church of England

Question 8

Role of the Scots

Answer 8

The Scots held the upper hand since they initially had Charles in their possession

They wanted to see presbyterianism and wanted to use Charles I to see this. However Charles also had personal ambitions and this led neither side to reach and agreement

Scots surrender Charles to the army in 1647, meaning they could control events less

However they wouldn’t lose sight of their goals

Question 9

Role of the army

Answer 9

Since the New Model Army wasn’t being used any more, parliament wants to dissolve the army in order to reduce costs

Army petitions against the disbandment of the army, this would create unity within the army as they all had a common cause against the parliaments. Leading to greater divisions

Siezing Charles in Holdenby in 1647 gave them more bargaining power

Secured the solemn engagement, under which it would not disband until there was an agreement over pay and a settlement with Charles I

Question 10

Divisions in the army

Answer 10

Some of the troops were moderate in their outlook and others were more radical. Led to different aims about reform, some wanted Charles restored with les powers whereas others wanted complete radical reform

Led Charles I more hope that he could exploit the situation

Question 11

Radical ideas from parliament

Answer 11

Radicals wanted to get rid of many current MPs as they saw them as corrupt

Some soldiers favoured a dissolution with fresh elections

Suggested that parliaments last no longer than 2 years

Question 12

Radical ideas about religion

Answer 12

Radicals wanted an end to rule of bishops, no encorcement of Book of Common Prayer and no acceptance of the presbyterianism

Question 13

Reaction to radicals

Answer 13

Conservatives alarmed by the growth of radicalism as they saw it as bringing in anarchy

True number of true radicals was small but they were vocal in their publications

Question 14

Radical documents (2)

Answer 14

Representation of 1647 – new parliament + church reform

Case of the Army Truly Stated 1647 – more extreme demands and attacking senior officers

Question 15

Levellers views

Answer 15

Argued for complete freedom to worship

Considered dangerous to anyone who considered that authority was essential in the Church as well as the state

Opposed by landowning classes as well as parliament – who feared anarchy

Question 16

Remonstrance of many thousand citizens 1646

Answer 16

Annual elections for parliament, confiscation of crown revenue, removal of unreasonable laws, free press

Parliament ignored and rejected this petition

However MPs were alarmed at the extent of it’s contents and growing sympathy for the Levellers within the army

Question 17

Putney Debates

Answer 17

Cromwell agreed to meet representatives of the army and some levellers at putney

Main disagreement was whether parliament was open to anyone. Rainsborough believed that anyone could be in parliament – Ireton believed that only landowners and those with a stake in the economy could be involved in governing it

Question 18

Impact of levellers

Answer 18

Minority pressure group rather than a movement

Little support outside London

Limited long term impact on army

Made negotiations even harder

Were opposed by most parties

Question 19

The Engagement 1647

Answer 19

Charles agreed with the Scots that he would allow presbyterian worship in England for three years. English army would be disbanded and Charles would rely on Scottish army

Question 20

Parliamentary reaction to the Engagement

Answer 20

Charles failed to realise that his negotiations with the Scots would be viewed as treacherous by the parliament

Parliament would veto any further approaches to the King (Vote of No Addresses 1648)

Led to them thinking that they could manage without a King

Question 21

Outbreak of fighting

Answer 21

Army put down protests which urged the making of a settlement

Royalist uprising in many regions – Essex + Wales

Scottish army invaded in July 1648 – slow to muster and held up by parliamentary troops in Yorkshire

Cromwell dealt with the Welsh and defeated the Scots in august

Question 22

Reaction to Second Civil War Parliament

Answer 22

Army would consider Charles a “man of blood” since he had strated the Second Civil War and was thus responsible for the loss of life

Divine Providence meant that God had guided them to win the war

Army prevented parliament from re-opening negotiations with the King

Drew up statements about how he had abused his powers and deserved to be brought to judgement

Question 23

Religious issues in parliament

Answer 23

Divisions within parliament about the reforms of the Church

Some wanted major reforms however others wanted much more limited reforms to the Church

Question 24

Prides Purge

Answer 24

Commons would vote by 129 to 83 to continue negotiations with Charles

Prides Purge would be enacted by Colonel Purge, who would act to make parliament obey the army by stationing troops outside their meeting place and only allowing MPs who didn’t favour a treaty with the King

Creation of the “Rump parliament”

Growing conviction of Cromwell that God’s will could only be fulfilled by the trial of the King – because Charles was so slippery in negotiation

Cromwell would pursue this even though rest of parliament were less certain - regicide

Question 25

Execution of Charles I

Answer 25

Decision to put Charles on trial was accepted by the Rump on 1 January 1649

Charles was tried with trying to establish a tyranny, overthrowing the liberties of the people and waging war on them

Charles refused to recognise the authority of the Court and would not plead guilty

Beheaded on 30 January 1649