Unit 8

Absolute Monarchs

Chapter 19 Section 4, Chapter 20 Sections 1 & 2

– England

Tudors• Came into power in late 1400’s

– Started centralizing monarchy’s power– Tudors become ruling family after winning

the ‘War of the Roses’ defeating the Lancaster's

• Henry VII –First king - 1485-1509– Made England stable and prosperous

• Henry VIII – 1509-1547– Established new religion – Anglican Church

• Edward VI – 1547-1553– Never married, Named Lady Jane Grey as

heir.• Privy Council had her removed 9 days in• Was later executed, age 16.

• Mary I – 1553

Tudors

• Mary I – 1553 - 1558– Devoted Catholic– Daughter of Catherine of Aragon

• Henry VIII’s first wife, Catholic• Relative of Charles V of Spain

– Protestants outraged when she married Philip II of Spain

– Tried to destroy the Anglican Church

– Had more than 300 people burned at stake, started rebellion

– Gains nick name “Bloody Mary”• Ultimately failed to destroy

Protestantism in England

• Dies in 1558, Philip II?

Elizabeth I• Was Mary I’s half sister

– Mother was Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s 2nd wife.

• Protestant• Was a good politician• Never married, had no children• Mary Queen of Scots – Next in

line to Rule– Closest heir (relative) Mary Stuart,

Queen of Scotland, and a Catholic– Came to England in 1568 to

escape problems in Scotland, and was put in prison by Elizabeth

– Plotted with Philip II to kill Elizabeth

– Elizabeth had Mary be-headed

Elizabeth I• Philip II angry

– Mary I • Thought he should be king

– Elizabeth declines proposal– Mary Stuart

• Head Chopped off planning plot

• English concerned with Netherlands Revolt– Queen Elizabeth feared an invasion if

Philip won• Supported the Dutch

Philip Attacks EnglandEnglish - Undeclared war on Spain

• Seadogs - Francis Drake - Stole lots of Spanish treasure

• Philip wanted him punished, Liz makes him a knight–Philip gets angrier.

• Plans invasion of England

Philip Attacks England

• 1588 - Assembled the Armada to invade England– 130 armed vessels, 19,000 soldiers– sent to English Channel.

• English fleet is smaller and swifter– Better long range cannons.– forced the Armada into the North Sea.– Caught in storms.... Destroyed what was left of

them.• Protestant Winds

Results

• Gave England confidence• Ended threat of the Spanish

Armada– Allowed other countries to start to

explore the Americas.

• Spain suffered a defeat but still had great wealth (colonial interests) to retain some power in the region

Religion & Parliament

• Elizabeth still had 2 main problems– 1 - Religion

• Puritans – Didn’t think Henry VIII went far enough in removing Catholic traditions from the church

• Wanted England united under one religion– Persecuted all other religions

» Had to pay fines– Elizabeth refused to change the church any more

» Relatively tolerant

– 2 – Parliament• Made of representatives from all over the

country

Religion & Parliament• 1530’s Parliament starts to

become more powerful– Most people viewed Parliament as a

check to the monarchy’s power.

• Made of 2 houses….– House of Lords – Nobles and Clergy– House of Commons – Gentry and

Burgesses• Gentry – landowners, position but no title,

no inheritance• Burgesses – merchants & professionals

Religion & Parliament• Elizabeth I handled Parliament well

– Consulted them, gave appearance of taking their advice

– Usually got what she wanted from them

• When Elizabeth dies - 1603– Left no heir

• James Stuart – nearest relative, son of Mary Stuart

• Already King James VI of Scotland• Became James I King of England – 1603• England and Scotland did not unite until

1707– Still have same ruler

James I• A Stuart, not a Tudor• Intelligent but lacked common

sense with money and diplomacy

• Believed in idea of Divine Right – puts him at odds with Parliament

• Big supporter of the Anglican Church– Puts him at odds with Puritans

who still want change.– Did agree to new translation of

Bible• King James Version

James I• Biggest question – How much power

should parliament have.– Problem getting tax money– Divine Right, wanted absolute power– Had to gain money by selling titles and

monopolies

• Left problems that the next King would have to deal with.– Tensions between a Stuart king and the

people of England

• After James I dies (1625), his son Charles I comes to power.

Charles I• Believed in idea of Divine Right

– Keeps him out of touch with his public

• Marries a French Catholic Princess– French AND a Catholic

• Charles always needed money– Tries to force people to lend him money

• Puts them in prison• Parliament does not like these actions

– Refused to give him money until he signed ‘Petition of Right’

Charles I• Petition of Right -

– King agreed to four things• Could not tax people w/o Parliaments consent• Could not declare martial law• Could not board soldiers in private homes during

peace time• Could not imprison subjects without cause

– Charles agreed, but ignored• When Parliament protested, he dismissed Parliament• Parliament gone for 11 years.

• Still important– Idea that law was higher than the king– Contradicted idea of Absolute monarchy

Charles I• Charles keeps raising taxes and fines to

get money– Angers many, trying to impose Absolute

Control

• Charles offends– Upheld rituals and formal Anglican prayer book– Tired to force Scot Presbyterians (Protestant) to

accept Anglican prayer book

• Wanted both kingdoms (England and Scotland) to follow same religion– Scots Rebelled, loyalty to Church before Crown– Charles sent troops to invade

• Needs more money to continue the fight– Called Parliament to session (2 times)

• Chance for Parliament to oppose him– Want to address complaints about the King first

Long Parliament

• 1640 - Met on and off for 20 years.• Charles needed money to put down

Scottish rebellion– Parliament says no.

• Parliament passes two laws to limit kings power– Ends kings power to dissolve Parliament– Requires Parliament to meet at least every 3

years– Wanted to makes changes to the Anglican

Church• Public against that

Long Parliament• Rebellion starts in Ireland – 1641

– England controlled parts of Ireland– Irish Catholics had been treated harshly, like conquered

people– Had few rights and freedoms, lived in constant fear– Bloody rebellion Irish Catholics vs. English

• Parliaments wants control over Army– Charles says no… leads troops into Parliament to arrest

them

• Starts a Civil War in England – 1642

• Charles escapes to north to build army of supporters

• Civil War – 1642 – 1649

English Civil War & Cromwell

• King supported by ……– Anglicans, Roman Catholics, nobles

• Parliament supported by….– Puritans and other non-protestants

• No side had advantage until….• 1644 – Puritans found Oliver

Cromwell– General who could win– Following year, captured king, tried for

treason– Found guilty, sentenced to death – Beheaded in 1649 – Never before had a monarch faced a

public trial and execution• Cromwell takes control of England,

abolished monarchy

Cromwell’s Commonwealth

• Cromwell was a devout Puritan– But also fairly tolerant– Ruled from 1653 – 1658– Basically a military dictator– Wanted a parliamentary

republic• Tried twice, too much resistance

– Starts rebuilding economy• Encouraged trade and

manufacturing

Cromwell’s Commonwealth

• Cromwell and Puritans wanted to reform society– Made laws that promoted morality– Abolished things thought to be sinful

• Going to the theatre, etc.

• Cromwell favored religious toleration for all Christians except Catholics– Even welcomed back Jews

• Cromwell eventually dissolves Parliament

End of the Revolution• Ruled till death in 1658

• After Cromwell’s death, son Richard becomes leader– Weak leader, lost support of army

• 1660 – Restoration– Parliament voted to ask oldest son of

Charles I to rule England– 1660 – Reign of Charles II begins,

legitimate heir to the throne

Restoration • Charles II restored….

– Theatre, sporting events and dancing

– Arts flourished• He avoided fights with

Parliament– Didn’t want to end up like his

father• Bold commercial polices led

to wars with the Dutch and gained some territory– New Amsterdam renamed New

York• Tried to increase toleration of

Catholics

Restoration• Political Parties start to develop

– Over royal succession• James, Roman Catholic, Charles younger

brother, next in line to be king

– Tories• Believed James had hereditary right to the

throne– Even if a Catholic

• Supported by Anglican Church

– Whigs• Claimed right to deny the throne to James.• Wanted strong Parliament & opposed a Catholic

leader

Glorious Revolution• Charles II dies, Brother James

becomes king• Rules as James II• Believes in absolute rule

– Frustrates both Whigs and Tories

• Religion of his successor still an issue– First son is raised as Catholic – Daughters are Protestant

• Parliament wants James II to step down– Invite James’ daughter, Mary, &

husband, William of Orange to rule

Glorious Revolution• William of Orange lands in England

– James II flees to France in exile• Parliament gives crown to both Mary and

William as co-rulers– Rule as William III and Mary II

• Glorious Revolution - 1688– Bloodless transfer of power in the English

monarchy

Habeas Corpus

• Parliament passes ‘habeas corpus’– Based on Ideas of Locke– Important freedom– Prisoners have right to be brought

before judge, hear charges.– Judge would decide if tried or set free.– Protect against unfair arrest and

imprisonment

English Bill of Rights• Read to William and Mary before

given the throne in 1689– Parliament would choose who would

rule– Ruler must obey Parliamentary laws

•Could not suspend laws– Ruler could not impose taxes or

maintain army in peace time without Parliaments consent

– Ruler could not interfere with election of representatives for Parliament

– Guaranteed free speech for members of Parliament

English Bill of Rights

• Also protected private citizens– Could not be forced to pay high or

unfair bail– Would not have to face cruel or

unusual punishment

Toleration Act

• Granted some religious freedoms to Protestants who were not Anglican members (Lutherans, Calvinists, Presbyterians)

• Did not protect Catholics or Jews

• Barred non-Anglican church members from holding public office

Act of Settlement

• To keep a Catholic off the throne

• If Wm III & Mary II died w/o heir, Mary’s sister Anne would become Queen

• If Anne had no kids, throne would go to a Protestant granddaughter of James I

Parliamentary Rule• Fight between monarch and

Parliament over – Parliament emerges as the supreme

power– Parliament had right to chose next

monarch– Rights of individuals and government

powers had become more defined

• Parliament still not representing all of the population

Parliamentary Rule

• Eventually Parliament gains enough power that the monarchs stop trying to veto Parliaments actions

• Two important institutions develop that still exist today in England.

• 1 - Cabinet– Officers of the State, advisors of the King– Usually department heads– First representatives of both parties

• Later only members of the majority party

Parliamentary Rule

• 2 – Prime Minister– Leader of majority party in Parliament

heads cabinet– Called Prime Minister

• Still system of government in England.

Act of Union

• 1707– Passed by Parliaments from England

and Scotland– United both as the United Kingdom– Meant to strengthen England in

struggles with France• Many in Scotland opposed this

– Ended up being very beneficial for all parties

Constitutional Monarchy

• 1721-1742– Whigs control House of Commons

• Whigs want a strong Parliament body

– England becomes a Constitutional Monarchy• Monarch remains head of state• Powers limited by the constitution

– Required them to consult with Parliament– Certain things only Parliament can do

– Has changed little since then

Constitutional Monarchy

• Has been a model for other nations to end absolute monarchies

• Constitution is not one document– Magna Carta– Petition of Rights– Habeas Corpus Act– Bill of Rights– Act of Settlement– And other acts of Parliament– Can be changed by Parliament if necessary

• Prime Minister chooses member of the Cabinet– Plan and carry out government polices

–And Finally…… the end!