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Showtime Jason Fleming presents: Charles I Martyr or Tyrant?

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Born in 1600 Second born son of King James VI and I and his wife Anne, the daughter of the King of Denmark Older brother Henry died in 1612 Was supposed to marry Spanish infanta - The king of Spains daughter The Spanish marriage (and the huge promised dowry) failed to materialize Background

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Background (contd) Married Henrietta Maria in 1625 Daughter of King Henry IV of France Had three daughters and three sons survive infancy

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Not exactly tall in stature Spoke with a stammer Still said to have carried himself with dignity Not learned like his father but deeply devout Major patron of the arts Charles the Man

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The Early Reign Not a great relationship with Parliament from the start Parliament refused to grant him the amount of money he wanted for war with Spain Also only granted him customs dues for one year rather than life Further, the MPs openly expressed doubt in Buckinghams abilities Insulted, Charles dismissed Parliament

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The need for money due to foreign war led Charles to recall Parliament shortly after the first dismissal Once again agreement could not be reached, with Parliament refusing to vote money to the king The MPs threatened to impeach the kings favorite, the Duke of Buckingham Charles responded by dismissing Parliament for the second time The Early Reign (contd)

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A Declaration of His Majesties Clear Intention, in Requiring the Ayde of His Loving Subjects, in that Way of Loane which is now Intended by His Highness Not this to be avoided, if we as a king shall maintain the cause and party of religion, preserve our own honor, defend our people, secure our kingdoms, and support our allies, all which we are tied to do by that bond of sovereignty, which under God we bear over youThat this courseshall not in any wise be drawn into example, nor made a precedent for after times.

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The Petition of Right (1628) HUMBLY shew unto our Sovereign Lord the King, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in Parliament assembled, That whereas it is declared and enacted by a Statute made in the time of the Reign of King Edward the First, commonly called Statutum de Tallagio non concedendo, that no Tallage or Aid shall be laid or levied by the King or his Heirs in this Realm, without the good Will and Assent of the Archbishops, Bishops, Earls, Barons, Knights, Burgesses and other the Freemen of the Commonalty of this Realm; and by the Authority of Parliament holden in the Five and twentieth Year of the Reign of King Edward the Third, it is declared and enacted, that from thenceforth no Person should be compelled to make any Loans to the King against his Will, because such Loans were against Reason and the Franchise of the LandThey do therefore humbly pray Your most excellent Majesty, That no Man hereafter be compelled to make or yield any Gift, Loan, Benevolence, Tax or such like Charge, without Common Consent by Act of Parliament; and that none be called to make Answer, or take such Oath, or to give Attendance, or be confined, or otherwise molested or disquieted concerning the same, or for Refusal thereof; and that no Freeman, in any such Manner as is before mentioned, be imprisoned or detained

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The Personal Rule Parliament continued to protest kings and councilors actions In 1629 Charles dissolved Parliament again He did not call it for 11 years Used old precedents to obtain funds w/out Parliament Govt actually ran fairly smoothly

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The Return of the King Parliament A Scottish rebellion leads Charles to finally recall Parliament in 1640 New Parliament dismantled system of Personal Rule Strafford and Laud impeached, Bill of Attainder passed against Strafford Charles gives up Straffords life, hoping that would appease Parliament

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His Majesties Speech to the Committee (March 1641) What would you have? Have I violated your Laws? Have I denied to pass any one Bill for the ease and security of my Subjects? I do not ask what you have done for me God so deal with Me and Mine, as all my Thoughts and Intentions are upright for the maintenance of the true Protestant Procession, and for the Observation and Preservation of the Laws of this Land: and I hope, God will bless and assist those Laws for my preservation.

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Civil War Approaches The more extreme members of Parliament continue to push harder Led by John Pym, they issue the Grand Remonstrance in 1641 Accuses Charles of malignant design to subvert the fundamental laws and principles of government Too much for many MPs, only passes by 11 votes Charles goes to Parliament w/ troops to arrest 5 most radical MPs, including Pym, but theyre already gone Parliament tries to gain control of army and other royal prerogatives Last straw for Charles, who unfurls standard at Nottingham in August 1642

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Civil War! At first Charless cause was successful Fortune began to turn away from him, however Royalist army decisively defeated at Naseby in 1645 by Cromwell and New Model Army After more fighting and complications, the last hopes of Charles (by then a prisoner) were crushed in 1648

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You Either Win, Or Parliament by now reduced to those who supported Cromwell and the army Insisted Charles be brought to trial Charles remained defiant and dignified, refusing to acknowledge legality of trying the king for treason He was condemned anyway and sentenced to death by beheading On January 30 1649 Charles was executed in front of the Banquet House of Whitehall Palace

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Or ? Charles definitely undertook some tyrannical actions, especially the armed men attempting to arrest the radical MPs in early 1642 Deeply ingrained sense of divine right of kings and his corresponding authority Yet his reign did not feature brutal suppressions of dissent or executions Even in years of Personal Rule England still ran smoothly and was fairly stable Certainly was seen as a martyr by many people immediately after his execution