James I Flashcards
1
Q
When did James Stuart become King of England?
A
24 march 1603
2
Q
What areas did James have power over as King?
A
- Foreign diplomacy as Head of State
- Declaration of war as commander-in-chief
- Legislation through the right to call and dissolve Parliament and through giving royal assent
- Religion as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England
3
Q
What was the main way Parliament had power over the Crown?
A
Money in the form of subsidies.
4
Q
Who had to pay for subsidies?
A
Members of the Political Nation, including the people who sat in Parliament who had to vote to give subsidies, meaning they were reluctant to grant them.
5
Q
Given Parliament’s reluctance to grant subsidies to the Crown, what was the monarch forced to do?
A
Exploit their prerogative income.
6
Q
What were the main forms of prerogative income?
A
- Crown lands - the crown had sold or rented land at fixed rates meaning they could not be adjusted for inflation, drastically reducing the amount of money they generated.
- Customs duties - taxes from imported goods. The crown could also temporarily sell the right to collect them to raise money quickly.
- Feudal dues - the crown had the right to control the estate of someone under the age of 21.
- Parliamentary subsidy - funds given by parliament for emergencies such as war.
7
Q
Why was prerogative income a concern for parliament?
A
A financially self-sufficient monarch could do away them altogether and be absolutist.
8
Q
What was happening to inflation when James I came to the throne?
A
It was on the rise.
9
Q
What was central to the monarch conducting domestic and foreign policy?
A
Money
10
Q
What happened to Crown expenditure during James’ reign compared to Elizabeth’s?
A
It doubled because James saw England as a land of plenty.
11
Q
What did the Crown lack when trying to implement policy?
A
Administrative ability, with only 2000 civil servants, meaning they had to rely on the Political Nation.
12
Q
When did James become James VI of Scotland?
A
13 years of age.
13
Q
What type of monarch did James I see himself as?
A
Rex Pacificus, or, the peacemaker king.
14
Q
When was the Millenary Petition presented to James I?
A
As he travelled to London to take the English throne in March 1603.
15
Q
What was the Millenary Petition?
A
A list of Puritan requests calling for changes to the Church.
16
Q
What did the Millenary Petition want changing?
A
They wanted modifications in church services, the freedom of ministers to not wear ceremonial robes, education requirements for ministers, and reform of ecclesiastical courts.
17
Q
How did the population change between 1500 and 1650?
A
It nearly doubled.
18
Q
What did the population change between 1500 and 1650 lead to?
A
- Inflation
- Food shortage
- Land shortage
- Unemployment
- Reliance on state poor relief
19
Q
Why was there little change to the social order despite rising inflation and food shortages etc?
A
Belief in the ‘Great Chain of Being’.
20
Q
What did the ‘Great Chain of Being’ assert?
A
That it was for the benefit of all to accept the position given to them by God.
21
Q
What was the psuedo-gentry?
A
Merchants and doctors who created their wealth from their work rather than inheriting it. Some London merchants even had more money than those in the established aristocracy.
22
Q
What happened to knighthoods under James I?
A
He allowed many of his courtiers to sell them which reduced their value.
23
Q
When was the title of Baronet created and why?
A
1611; because knighthoods had become so devalued after James I had allowed his courtiers to sell them.
24
Q
What is Presbyterianism?
A
This was the main religion in Scotland and James would have been bought up as Presbyterian. Their Church had no head but were governed by Elders, and they used the English Bible.
25
What is Puritanism?
The 'hotter sort of Protestant'. They were an important minority in England. Their head was the monarch and they were governed by Bishops. They used the English Bible and were very plain in dress and buildings.
26
What is Calvinism?
These were the majority in England. Their head was the monarch and again they were governed by Bishops, but their dress and buildings were much more elaborate and decorated and believed in salvation through faith.
27
What is Arminianism?
They were a minority but gained influence under Charles I. They were seen by most Protestants as closest to Catholics in their beliefs. They had elaborate dress and building decoration, as well as use of the English Bible and Communion instead of a Sermon.
28
Who were the Catholics?
They were a minority in England but significantly they were a majority in Ireland. The Pope was the head of their Church, not the monarch, and were governed by Bishops. They used the Latin Bible and were very decorated in their dress and buildings.
29
What was James I's attitude towards Catholics?
He was prepared to distinguish between 'quiet' and 'factious' Catholics, although this ran counter to popular feelings of anti-Catholicism throughout the country. It did prove to be effective at avoiding direct challenges from Catholics however.
30
When were Recusancy Fines issued?
May 1603
31
What were Recusancy Fines?
They were fines levied on anyone who did not attend the compulsory Church of England service on a Sunday.
32
Who were Recusancy Fines supposed to target?
Puritans and Catholics as they were more likely to be recusants and so this was seen as an attack on them.
33
What was the result of the Millenary Petition?
In July 1603 James announced that all income from impropriated tithes would go towards better salaries for church ministers.
The Hampton Court Conference was called in January 1604.
34
When was James I's first parliament?
1604
35
What dominated James I's first parliament?
The issue of parliamentary privilege which granted MPs freedom from arrest and freedom of speech while parliament was sitting.
36
Why was parliamentary privilege an issue?
Because the unwritten constitution made the line between parliamentary privilege and royal prerogative a continuous source of conflict.
37
When was the Treaty of London signed?
1604
38
What did the Treaty of London do?
Secured peace with Spain, reducing the crown's expenditure.
39
Who were the Jesuits?
A Catholic order of religious men seen as the violent arm of the Catholic Church.
40
What happened in 1604 with regard to Jesuits?
Encouraged by Parliament, legislation was proposed and passed to clamp down on Jesuit activity.
41
When did the Hampton Court Conference take place?
January 1604
42
What was the only outcome of the Hampton Court Conference?
The start of the King James Bible.
43
When did James approve Bancroft's Canons?
September 1604
44
What were Bancroft's Canons?
Church laws which upheld many orthodox doctrines of the Church and other practices condemned by Puritans in the Millenary Petition such as the wearing of clerical dress, use of the sign of cross in baptism, and bowing to the name of Jesus.
45
When was the Buckinghamshire Election?
1604
46
What was the issue surrounding the Buckinghamshire Election?
Francis Goodwin's election as MP for Buckinghamshire had been annulled by the Court of Chancery on the grounds that he was an outlaw. After hearing Goodwin's case the Commons voted to reinstate Goodwin and saw the attempted replacement of him as royal interference. James believed the Commons were acting illegally by allowing an outlaw to sit as an MP, and made the provocative statement that "they derived all matters of privilege from him and by his grant".
47
Who was the MP expelled by the Court of Chancery in the Buckinghamshire Election?
Francis Goodwin
48
Why was Francis Goodwin's election overturned by the Court of Chancery in 1604?
They determined that he was an outlaw.
49
What was the outcome of the tension surrounding the Buckinghamshire Election?
Both Goodwin and Fortescue (Goodwin's replacement) were dismissed and another election called, demonstrating James' pragmatism.
50
What was Shirley's Case?
The MP Thomas Shirley was arrested for debt. This was in breach of the parliamentary privilege of freedom from arrest.
51
When was Shirley's Case?
1604
52
What did parliament do in response to Shirley's Case?
They sent the governor of the prison Shirley was being held at to the Tower of London until Shirley was released.
53
When did Richard Bancroft become Archbishop of Canterbury?
December 1604
54
What did Bancroft's appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury begin?
A push for conformity within the church.
55
Who were the Silenced Brethren?
They were the clergymen who refused to conform to Bancroft's Canons and were expelled from the church as a result.
56
When was the Gunpowder Plot?
1605
57
Who masterminded the Gunpowder Plot?
Robert Catesby and Guido Fawkes.
58
How did the general population view the Gunpowder Plot?
They thought the attempt to blow up Parliament by Robert Catesby and Guido Fawkes represented the threat from English Catholics, regardless of their small numbers.
59
When was James' failed attempt at joining England and Scotland?
1606
60
Why did James I's attempt at joining England and Scotland fail?
James would have the power to write the laws of the new kingdom and it was feared that he would grant himself more authority and perhaps become absolutist.
61
What was the result of the failed attempt at joining England and Scotland?
1606; the only thing to come from the attempt at union was the repeal of mutually hostile legislation.
62
How many subsidies did parliament grant James in 1606 and what did he do with them?
3; he immediately gave £44,000 of it to three Scottish friends making MPs reluctant to grant more money and to reform the finances of the Crown for fear he would simply give more money away to his Scottish friends.
63
When was the Bates Case?
1606
64
What was the Bates Case?
Merchant John Bates refused to pay the imposition on currants, arguing that since they had not been approved by parliament the crown had right to levy the tax.
65
What was the outcome of the Bates Case?
In the ruling the judges declared that the Crown had an 'absolute' prerogative to issue impositions, and the monarch did not need parliamentary approval.
66
When was the Oath of Allegiance?
1606
67
What prompted the Oath of Allegiance to be issued?
The Gunpowder Plot
68
What was the Oath of Allegiance?
An attempt to force Catholic recusants to declare their allegiance to James and not to the Pope.
69
Who is the Earl of Somerset?
Robert Carr
70
When did Robert Carr emerge as a favourite, and until when would he remain one?
Carr emerged as James' favourite in the year 1607 and would remain so until 1613.
71
When was Robert Cecil appointed Lord treasurer?
1608
72
How much Crown debt did Elizabeth leave James?
More than £400,000
73
What was the Crown debt by 1608?
£600,000
74
What was Robert Cecil's main task as Lord Treasurer?
Find a solution to the Crown debt problem.
75
What did James promise Robert Cecil he would do to try and alleviate the pressure from Crown debt, and did it work?
James promises Cecil he will stop gifting land and the following year he promised not to grant any gifts or pensions without his agreement as part of the attempts to fix the finances; James did not keep either of these promises.
76
When was the Book of Bounty?
1608
77
What as the Book of Bounty?
Cecil orders a survey of Crown lands to try and strengthen royal finances.
78
When was the Book of Rates?
July 1608
79
What was the Book of Rates in response to?
After the courts had ruled that the Crown had and absolute prerogative to issue import duties or impositions, Cecil sought to levy impositions as a source of income and as a way of regulating trade.
80
What did the Book of Rates do?
The Book levied impositions on 1400 items and raised £70,000 a year - the equivalent of one parliamentary subsidy.
81
When was the Great Contract?
1610
82
What was Crown expenditure by 1610?
Over £500,000
83
What was the Great Contract?
This was Cecil's attempt at a major reform of the Crown's finances. His aim was to shock MPs into granting a £600,000 subsidy and an annual subsidy of £200,000 in exchange for some of James' feudal rights, including his prerogative income from wardships.
84
Why did the Great Contract fail?
MPs were reluctant to accept this unless their grievance against impositions was addressed. James agreed not to levy any impositions in the future without parliamentary consent, but those already in place must be left untouched. This did not go far enough for many MPs and negotiations fell apart in November because neither side trusted each other.
85
What did James I receive from the City of London in 1610?
£100,000 loan.
86
What did James I say to parliament in a speech in March 1610?
"The state of monarchy is the supremest thing upon Earth: For kings are not only God's lieutenants upon earth, and sit upon God's throne, but even by God himself they are called gods."
87
When did James' first parliament end and why?
1611; because of the failure of the Great Contract.
88
When was the hereditary title of baronet introduced?
1611
89
When was the King James Bible completed?
1611
90
When was George Abbot appointed Archbishop of Canturbury?
1611
91
When did Prince Henry die?
1612
92
When were the years of James I's first parliament?
1604-1611
93
When did James' second parliament begin?
1614
94
What was James I's second parliament called and what does it mean?
The Addled Parliament; addled means confused and refers to the fact that the parliament was ineffective.
95
How long did the Addled Parliament last and why?
8 weeks because of the failure to resolve the crown finances.
96
Why did James call the Addled Parliament?
To ask for subsidies.
97
Who were the two factions in parliament and who did they support?
The Howards, who supported Catholic Spain, and the Protestant opponents who wanted to attack them.
98
When was the Cockayne Project?
1614
99
What was the Cockayne Project?
James granted a monopoly on the cloth trade to William Cockayne, a London merchant, in the hope of raising money for the Crown. But after the Dutch refused to purchase finished cloth from England, the Crown lost even more money.
100
What was Crown debt in 1614?
£680,000
101
Who was the Duke of Buckingham?
George Villiers
102
When did George Villiers emerge as a favourite of James I?
1615
103
What was the tension surrounding James I's gentlemen of the bedchamber caused by?
The presence of the Duke of Buckingham and many Scots that were thought to have much influence over the king.
104
What was patronage?
Political success was based on a network of support. Those at the top would act as patrons to those below them. Those below would be able to rise up the ranks of the Political Nation and the patron would be able to get his 'clients' to do things for them in return. The ultimate aim was to use your network of connections to move as close to the king as possible.
105
What was the bedchamber?
This was the monarch's private living space, and the Gentlemen of the Bedchamber were courtiers who waited upon the monarch in these rooms. The members of the Bedchamber were important figures at court, and their access to the king meant they had great political influence.
106
What was royal debt by 1617?
£720,000; the economy was entering a depression.
107
When did the Thirty Years War begin?
1618
108
When did Lionel Cranfield take charge of the Crown finances?
1618
109
What did Lionel Cranfield do to try and save some money?
He conducted investigations into the expenses of the royal household, navy, wardrobe, and the court of wards.
110
Why was it unlikely that financial reform was possible?
Because of the vested interest of much of the Political Nation in keeping the system the way it was.
111
When was the Book of Sports published?
1618
112
What was the Book of Sports?
A book detailing what sports could be played on Sundays; this was meant to counter pressure from Puritans to not participate in fun activities on a Sunday as it was to be kept a holy day.
113
What were the Five Articles of Perth?
Rules that demanded kneeling at communion; observance of holy days; private baptism; private communion; and confirmation by bishops - this all seemed too much like Catholicism to the Presbyterians.
114
How did James implement the Five Article of Perth?
James forced them through the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland.
115
What is the Kirk of Scotland?
The Church of Scotland?
116
When did James force the Five Articles of Perth through the Kirk?
1618
117
What was the Crown debt in 1620?
£900,000
118
When was the first major defeat for the Protestants in the Thirty Years War?
1620, the Battle of the White Mountain in Bohemia.
119
When did James I's third parliament start?
1621
120
What was the main concern of James' third parliament?
The abuse of monopolies. Monopolies were being used by courtiers to attack their rivals and Buckingham, Edward Coke, and Lionel Cranfield together tried to get their rival Francis Bacon impeached over his abuse of monopolies. This is an indication that the politics of this period was not just split between crown and parliament but between factions too.
121
How much was a single parliamentary subsidy?
Roughly £70,000
122
How many subsidies did parliament grant James in 1621 and why did James ask for them?
2; because of the possibility of entering the Thirty Years War?
123
How many monopolies had been sold by 1621?
more than 100.
124
What was the Spanish Match?
The proposed marriage between Prince Charles and the Spanish Princess Maria Anna, daughter of Phillip III.
125
What did James encourage parliament to do in 1621?
James encourages MPs to discuss foreign policy as a way to frighten the Spanish into agreeing to the Spanish Match and as a means of ending the Thirty Years War.
126
After James encouraged parliament to discuss foreign policy, what did they do?
Parliament goes further than expected and on 3 December produces a petition criticising the Spanish match.
127
What did James I do in response to parliament petitioning against the Spanish Match?
James backtracked and said parliament had no right to discuss foreign policy as it was his prerogative, but this only angered the Commons.
128
What did parliament declare was their 'birth right' on 18 December 1621?
The right to discuss foreign policy.
129
After parliament declared it their 'birth right' to discuss foreign policy, what did James I do in response?
This only served to anger James, and he ripped the document containing parliament's protestation from the Common's Journal before dissolving them.
130
When did James I's third parliament end?
1622
131
Years of James I's third parliament?
1621-1622
132
When was the Madrid Trip?
1623
133
What was the Madrid Trip?
Charles and Buckingham travel to Spain to complete the Spanish match, but return in favour of war because of the poor treatment they received whilst they were there.
134
When did James I's fourth parliament begin?
1624
135
What was the main point of contention in James I's fourth parliament?
Whether England should intervene in the Thirty Years War.
136
What was the outcome of the Madrid Trip?
Charles and Buckingham return in favour of war because of the poor treatment they received whilst they were there - this makes Charles favourable to parliament since they are Protestant and Spain is Catholic.
137
What was parliament's response after James took a more aggressive anti-Spanish policy in 1624?
MPs were as usual reluctant to provide the funds necessary.
138
When was the Subsidy Act passed?
1624
139
What did the Subsidy Act do?
Granted the Crown a subsidy of £300,000 on the condition that its use was supervised by Parliament.
140
What does James NOT do in 1624?
James does not censor Richard Montagu's publication of an Arminian tract, A New Gag for an Old Goose.
141
When is the Statute of Monopolies passed?
May 1624
142
What did the Statute of Monopolies do?
Limited the Crown’s right to grant monopolies.
143
What policy had begun in Ireland in 1608?
Plantation, where land was taken from Irish natives and given to Protestant English settlers.
144
What area of Ireland did the English Protestants control and who controlled the rest?
Dublin and the surrounding area known as the Pale. Beyond the Pale the Irish Catholic elites controlled the country.
