Charles the First
‘-that man of blood’
Part 1
‘1600-1629’
Charles was one of three children:
Henry 1594-1612 (died of typhoid)
Elizabeth 1596-1662 (married Frederick V)
Charles 1600-1649
Prince Henry Princess Elizabeth Prince Charles
When James became King of England,
Charles was left in Scotland because
he was weak.
Charles stuttered, had weak legs from
rickets, hardly ever saw his mother and
was regarded as a runt. James always
called him “baby” even when Charles
was 24 years old.
How prepared was Charles for
Kingship?
He had been the heir for 12
years.
He had been involved with
Court factions.
As heir he sat in the House of
Lords.
Did not learn about Scotland.
He took his position
seriously.
King Charles
George Villiers
1614 Villiers was introduced to King
James in an attempt to wean him away
from his favourite - Robert Carr
George Villiers
Robert Carr
Villiers stellar rise to power
1614 Villiers was 22 years old, he had an income of
£50 per year
1615 he became a gentleman of the bedchamber
with a pension of £1000
1616 he became:
-master of the king’s horse with a staff of 200
-a Knight of the Garter
-made Viscount Villiers with an estate of £30,000
-managed the king’s patronage
-received a miniature of James with his heart in his
hand
George Villiers
1617 he was made an earl
1618 he was made the Marquis of Buckingham
1619 he was made Lord Admiral
1623 he was made the Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers
Villiers had unique attributes:
• Youth
• Beauty
• High spirits
• Sensuality
• Sweet character
George Villiers and family
• Devotion
Charles and Villiers did
not initially get along.
Villiers was aware of
Charles’ potential as heir
James wanted peace and
encouraged Charles to
marry and produce heirs
James wanted Charles to
marry the Catholic
Spanish Infanta to ensure
peace
Spanish Infanta
1618 the Thirty Years War began. It was a
struggle between Catholicism and
Protestantism.
Spain invaded the Palatinate and drove out
Charles’ sister Elizabeth and her husband.
They fled to Holland.
Charles’ marriage plans took on new urgency
because Elizabeth was his heir
February 1623 Charles and Villiers, under the
names of Tom and John Smith, went to Spain
to conclude secret marriage talks.
Negotiations failed and they returned home
to a tumultuous welcome. People were
thrilled that the Spanish alliance was over.
1624 Charles and Villiers called for a war
against Spain
James summoned parliament
King James
November 1624 James approved of a
marriage alliance with France.
Parliament approved and army to free
the Palatinate (which failed)
1625 James died and Charles became
king
James was buried
Near Henry Vll
Charles, unwisely, became
more and more dependent on
Villiers:
• Villiers corned the patronage,
sale of offices, and titles. This
made him many enemies.
• Villiers had friends among
High Anglicans, Catholics and
William Laud
• Villiers mother converted to
Catholicism
1625 George Villiers arranged a marriage
between Charles and the French
Catholic Princess Henrietta Maria
 Part of the arrangement for the
marriage meant that England had to
suspend laws against English
Catholics
 Release Catholics in prison
 Lend ships to help the French King
against Protestants
First Parliament
18th June – 11th July
Called to grant taxes
But there was plague in
London.
Parliament went to Oxford
Charles took his court of
120 peers, 26 bishops,
MPs and all their followers.
Oxford
However, the Parliament did not grant
Charles any taxes
Tunnage and Poundage (a tax on wool and wine
always granted to the monarch for life) was not ratified
Between Parliaments
October 1625 an ill
conceived attack was
made on Cadiz.
George Villiers was the
Lord Admiral
Half of the fleet was lost
Charles collected
Tunnage and Poundage
without Parliament’s
permission
Cadiz
Second Parliament
6th February – 16th June 1626
Charles wanted money for war
Instead Lords and Commons preferred to complain about Villiers and
Cadiz and his relationship with Charles
Parliament did consider a tax grant of £350,000 but gave top priority to
getting rid of Villiers
The Commons:
-investigated Villiers
-formulated 13 charges
-gave the charges to the Lords
-common law judges sat
-trial was set
Charles had now lost control and support of the Lords.
Charles excluded Villiers’ enemies the Earls of Arundel and Bristol
Charles was criticised for his interference
13 Charges Against George Villiers
1.
Villiers had excluded others from office for his own
gains
2 & 3 He had purchased the position of Lord Admiral
from the Earl of Nottingham for £3,000
4. He had not done a good job and had subsequently
lost good ships and subjects
5,6,7,8 Misconduct as an admiral
9. He sold titles for profit
10. He took bribes in exchange for offices
11. He promoted his family
12. He gained Crown land for himself
George Villiers
13. He may have administered poison to King James
(this was hearsay)
(1-12 were also a criticism of Charles)
Charles dissolved Parliament partially to
save George Villiers.
Charles still needed money.
He began a series of forced loans to pay his
mutinous sailors who had not been paid.
Men were press-ganged into the military and
then billeted without people’s permission.
The town of Banbury was burned down by
pressed soldiers.
During the war with France, Villiers
used up all his forced loans to help the
French Protestants
The church was under the influence of
the High Anglican anti-Calvinist William
Laud
Third Parliament
17th March – 26th June 1628
first session
Charles recalled parliament
Parliament was more concerned with
grievances rather than money, and how
to stop Charles using his emergency
powers
Parliament presented Charles with a Petition of Right
to sign:
-there were to be no arbitrary taxes
-no illegal imprisonment
-no martial law
-no billeting without consent
When Charles finally gave the document royal
consent, Parliament granted him five subsidies of
£275,000
When Parliament turned their attention to Tunnage
and Poundage, Charles dissolved it
Between Parliaments
August 1628 Villiers
prepared another
expedition to help the
French Protestants
George Villiers was
stabbed to death
Charles was devastated
Scene of Villiers death
Third Parliament
20th January – 10th March 1629
second session
Charles called this session
to legitimise his collection of
Tunnage and Poundage
Parliament criticised the rise
of Arminianism
Charles dismissed
Parliament
Jacob Arminius
Personal Rule 1629-1640
It was Charles’
prerogative to call and
dismiss Parliaments
He had become
disillusioned with
Parliaments
With a personal rule
Charles would be
personally liable for all
successes and failures
End of Part 1
Continue with Part 2 – 1629-1649