English Civil War

Foundation

• Reformation on the Continent
  • Luther & his 95 theses
  • assumptions/positions (that were subversive to English monarchy, per Hobbes)
    • Private men are judges of good & evil
    • It is a sin to do something against one's private conscience
    • Man's private conscience may be supernaturally inspired
    • The sovereign may be limited or divided
• Reformation in England (Anglicanism)
  • Unrelated to the Lutheran Reformation
  • Was Henry VII religious? He just split to divorce his wife
  • Edward VI - Protestant
  • Mary I - Catholic
  • Elizabeth I - protestant

Theology & Politics after the Reformation

• James IJames I
  James I of England
  
  
  was James VI of Scotland (r. 1603-1625)
  succeeded the very popular Elizabeth
  inherited debt & a religious problem
  
  was ok with Sabbath recreation, which Puritans did not like
  in 1620s, Puritans left to start Massachusetts Bay Colony
  
  
  pro-Spanish foreign policy (which Parliament opposed)
  
  
  • Protestant
  • Theology of Politics
    • Believed in Divine Right of KingsDivine Right of Kings
      Divine Right of Kings
      King is appointed directly by God. Thus, king is answerable to God alone & to no earthly authority (not even Parliament)
      
      What connection does it have to primeval polytheism?
      & Absolutism
    • Puritans
      • James unwilling to bow to Puritan demands, so he alienated sheriffs & justices of the peace
• Charles ICharles I
  Charles I of England
  
  
  Father: [[James I]]
  chief minister Thomas Wentworth instituted the thorough policy
  
  goal: absolute royal control of England (never call Parliament)
  ship money: charged whole of England for naval protection, instead of just coast
  
  
  when Parliament had to be called for the war w/ Scotland, they made a rule that they had to be called every 3 years (The Long Parliament)
  
  
  • his favorite, George Villiers was assassinated 1628; Charles blamed Parliament, vowed revenge
  • "Petition of Rights"
    • PoR placed tax restrictions on king (King can't tax w/o Parliament)
    • Charlies found ways around tax rules w/o calling Parliament
    • When he did have to call Parliament (for war w/ Scotland), they gave him a "grand remonstrance"
    • Charlies invaded Parliament w/ soldiers in 1642, but failed to succeed in capturing the leaders