17th Century England:Struggles for Political Order

17th Century England

• Political and Religious Conflict under Stuarts

• The English Civil War (1642 – 1651)

• Restoration of the Monarchy (1660)

• The Glorious Revolution (1689)

17th Century English Monarchy

• Stuart Monarchy– James I (rule 1603 – 1625)– Charles I (rule 1625 – 1649)– Charles II (1649/1660 – 1685)– James II (1685 – 1689)

• House of Orange (Protestant)– William III and Mary II

King James I(First Stuart Monarch,

First King of Great Britain)

“The state of monarchy. . . is the supremest thing upon earth: for Kings are not only God’s lieutenants upon earth, and sit upon throne, but even by God himself they are called Gods.”

- King James I

James I vs. Parliament

• Issues:– Royal sale of titles & offices– Accountability of Ministers to Parliament– Parliament’s right to intervene in foreign policy– Parliament’s right to withhold funds for war– Parliament’s right to intervene in marriage

plans

Charles I (1625 – 1649)

• “People are governed by thepulpit more than the swordin time of peace.”

- Charles I

Religious Divisions

• Anglican vs. Puritan vs. Catholic. . .

Key Questions of Civil War

• How is England to be governed?

• What is the purpose and role of Parliament?

• What is the relationship between Parliament and royal authority?

• What is the ‘proper’ faith for England?

English Civil War

• Parliament denounces royal acts as “illegal”

• Civil war erupts 1642

• “Court” and “Cavaliers” vs. “Country” and “Roundheads”

The English Civil War

Oliver Cromwell and the New Model Army

Radicals of the English Civil War

• Diggers

• Levellers

• Ranters

Execution of Charles I (1649)

Commonwealth of England

• Established 1649 under Puritan Cromwell– Represses Irish uprising– Conquers Scotland– Fights Dutch Republic and Spain

• Cromwell becomes “Lord Protector” and dissolves Parliament in 1653

• Imposes taxes without parliamentary approval and purges dissenters

• Persecutes Anglicans and Catholics

Restoration of the Monarchy 1660King Charles II

Q. What to do?

• Newly restored Stuart monarchy once again:– Opposing / dissolving parliament– Taxing without permission– Flirting with Catholicism

A. Find another heir to the throne

• Namely:– Protestant daughter of James, Mary– Married to Protestant Dutchman William of

Orange– Supported by both English and Dutch against

Catholic France and Spain

William III of Orangeand Queen Mary (rule 1689 – 1702)

The “Glorious Revolution”

• William and 15,000 men land in England on November 5, 1688

• James leaves England for exile in France

• Parliament (victorious again) declares throne vacant and invite William and Mary to rule

• Constitutional milestone in English history

English Bill of Rights(1689)• Ratified revolution of 1688 • Ends constitutional battles• Affirmed rights of Parliament• Guaranteed rights to property

owners• Guaranteed right of accused

to rule of law• Reasserts Parliament’s financial

authority over government• Reduced royal control over army• Stipulates toleration for Protestant dissenters, etc.

17th Century English Political Theory

Thomas Hobbes John Locke(1588 – 1679) (1632 – 1704)