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