Aim: How did the British Parliament
assert its rights against royal claims to
absolute power in the 1600s?
Do Now: 1. What successes and failures did
Louis XIV experience? 2. Give two examples
of how the arts flourished under Louis XIV
KING LOUIS XIV SUCCESSES
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
Ruled France for 72 years
France replaced
“Renaissance Italy” in
culture, manners and
custom
France became the richest
nation in the world and the
model absolute monarchy
KING LOUIS XIV FAILURES



Dutch and the English
created a balance of power
to prevent any one country
from getting too powerful
War of Spanish Succession
in 1713 was a failure as the
Treaty of Utrecht was
signed preventing Spain and
France combining
Huguenot persecution led to
loss of skilled workers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Louis sponsored musical entertainments and
plays by the best writers at Versailles
Classical Age of French drama – Jean Racine
(wrote tragedies) and Moliere (comedy writer)
French painting, art, music and architecture
became the model for all of Europe
Ballet created in French court
Louis XIV was a patron of the arts
French Academies – high standards in art and
science
In France, Louis XIV perfected royal absolutism.
In England, however, things would be much
different!
 How did Tudor monarchs handle Parliament?
The Tudor Dynasty ruled England from 1485 to
1603. They believed in divine right but also
recognized the Parliament. Remember! The
Parliament came about after the Magna Carta
(1215) which made it clear that the English king
must obey the law.
 It was Henry VIII Tudor
who broke from the
Roman Catholic Church
to form the Protestant
Church of England (Act
of Supremacy
approved by the
Parliament)
 Henry VIII’s daughter,
Queen Elizabeth I
(who knighted Francis
Drake), also consulted
and controlled
Parliament
(“representative
body”)

When Elizabeth I died,
she had no heir. So, the
ruling family in Scotland,
the Stuarts, took over.
Not only were the Stuarts
not as popular as the
Tudors, they didn’t know
how to handle
King James Stuart I
Parliament!
1. Claimed “divine right” and began lecturing
the Parliament
2. Clashed over money (of course) and
foreign policy
3. Constantly in feud with Puritans,
Protestants who wanted the Church of
England “purified” of Catholic practices
such as omitting bishops and fancy
services (James hated Puritan “dissenters”)
What positive contribution did
King James I have?
The King
James Bible
was a new
translated
version
created in
1611 and has
lasted since
then.


In 1625 a new king inherits the throne…Charles I.
He was forced to sign the Petition of Right which
prohibited the king from raising the taxes
without permission of the Parliament and he
could not imprison anyone he wanted (habeas
corpus).
Charles I, acting like a typical Stuart, signs the
petition then dissolves Parliament in 1629. For 11
years he ignores the Parliament and had his friend
Archbishop William Laud force all clergy to follow
strict Anglican (English) church rules


The Long Parliament was the nickname given to
the Parliament that went off and on from 1640 to
1653. In retaliation to Charles I snobbish ways,
Parliament began to try and convict and execute
Charles’ chief ministers (best friends…including
Laud!).
THEN in 1642 the King Charles leads troops into
the House of the Commons to arrest the most
radical leaders…they escape out the back
window…THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR BEGINS!
In France, Louis XIV was able to solidify
absolute power. In England, the English Civil
War posed a major setback to absolutism in
England.
 OLIVER CROMWELL dissolves the Long
Parliament and leads the revolution.


REVOLUTION defeats ABSOLUTISM in
England!
Aim: How did the British Parliament
assert its rights against royal claims to
absolute power in the 1600s?
Do Now: Describe how absolutism was
different in England and France in the 17th
century.
CAVALIERS
ROUNDHEADS
Supporters of King Charles I
Typically wealthy nobles
Expected a quick victory in
the English Civil War
 Proud of plumed hats and
fashionably long hair
 Well trained in dueling and
warfare







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Supporters of the
revolution
Made up of country gentry
(middle-class), town-living
manufacturers, Puritan
clergy
“Roundheads” because hair
was cut close around their
heads
Lead by Oliver Cromwell
1647 captured the King!

Oliver Cromwell’s Puritan “New Model Army” fighting for
Parliament defeated the Cavaliers at battles such as
Marston Moor. In 1647 King Charles I was captured.

What was Charles I accused of by Parliament?
Being a tyrant, traitor, murderer, and public
enemy….condemned to DEATH!
What was Charles’ declaration before death?
“I am a martyr of the people.” He knelt, prayed and signaled
the executioner…his head was then severed.

What was the result of King Charles’ execution?
SHOCKWAVES rolled through Europe. Parliament
sent a clear message: no ruler is greater than
Parliament and must obey the law!

The House of Commons (Lower house of Parliament) after
the war abolished the House of Lords (Upper house of
Parliament), the monarchy and the Church of England.
The Commonwealth was a republic (government where
officials are chosen by people).

What challenges did the Commonwealth face?
1. Supporters of Charles II (uncrowned heir) attacked
England through Ireland and Scotland. After this,
vicious measures taken against all Irish Catholics
(banned to remote parts of western Ireland…anyone
disobeying was killed on sight)
Under the Commonwealth, the English Civil War inspired a
political and social revolution as extremely strict Puritan
preachers enacted laws imposing a “rule of saints.”
What was Puritan society like under the Commonwealth?
1. Sundays had to be observed or punished
2. Theaters were closed
3. No “lewd” dancing, taverns, gambling
4. Puritans expected everyone to read the Bible (girls also!)
5. Marriages based on business interests
6. No Catholics!
PRETTY FUN, HUH?
Oliver Cromwell died in 1658. Since most people were tired
of this strict, militaristic rule of the Puritans, the Puritans
lost their grip on the Commonwealth.
In 1660, with a newly elected Parliament, Charles II was
invited to return to England after being in exile.

What was the Restoration?
The King was literally restored to England…although
Puritan ideas of morality, equality, government and
education remained!
England celebrated as Charles II, a young and popular
monarch, returned and restored theaters, taverns and
the Church of England. He had a lively court similar to
Louis. After Charles II, his brother James II inherits the
throne and starts trouble immediately. He flaunted his
Catholicism, suspended laws whenever he wanted and
appointed his Catholic friends to high offices.
 What was the Glorious Revolution?
In 1688 William and Mary (James’ daughter) were invited to
become rulers of England and James fled…without a
single bullet being shot or anyone being killed. How
Glorious, a bloodless overthrow!
There was a catch: In order for William and Mary to be
crowned, they had to accept the English Bill of Rights.
 What did the English Bill of Rights guarantee?
1. Superiority of Parliament over the monarchy****
2. House of Commons the “power of the purse”
3. Monarch couldn’t interfere with Parliamentary debates
4. Prevented any Roman Catholic from gaining throne
5. Restated traditional rights of English citizens, most
6.
importantly habeas corpus
Later on, Toleration Act of 1689 (religious toleration,
except for Catholics of course!)
The Glorious Revolution did not create a democracy. It did
create a LIMITED MONARCHY, meaning that there is a
“constitution (in this case, English Bill of Rights) or
legislative body (in this case, Parliament) limiting the
monarch’s powers.”
Monarchs still had a lot of power but had to obey the laws
and govern with the Parliament. The fact that England
had a limited monarchy was about the most radical
government for its time, considering how much absolute
power other kings had in European nations.