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Elizabeth I's Death
Elizabeth was relatively healthy in 1602 until many of her friend's deaths caused her to feel great depression. In 1603, the death of her cousin Catherine Howard, Countess of Nottingham, and Lady Knollys, the niece of Catherine, were partically hard for her. She fell ill in March, and moved into a state of complete sadness. She died on March 24, 1603. She's rests in a tomb in Westminster Abbey together with her sister, Mary. -
James I of England Crowned
5 years before Elizabeth's death, her senior advisor, William Cecil passed away, passing the job onto his son, Robert Cecil, who soon became the leader of Parliament. One job he was tasked with was to prepare a smooth succession. Since Elizabeth wouldn't pick one, Cecil took it into his own hands and convinced James IV of Scotland, Elizabeth's cousin, to humour the queen. This worked, and the same day of Elizabeht's death, James Stauart was crowned as James I of England. -
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Growing Power of House of Commons
The House of Commons during James and Charles reigns wasn't the same one that was coerced into passing Henry VIII's reformation legislation. The selling of monasteries and land inreiched many people. Many people invested in commercial ventures, and landowners gained money from new agricultural techniques. The House of Commons was more richer, more educated, and more articulate than before, and all these increased their power. -
Charles I of England's Reign Begins
For a while, James was trying to marry his son, Charles, and Maria Anna of Spain, and even saw it as a way to achieve peace in Europe, but ultimately failed. Charles tried later secretly, but also failed, and upon his return, urged his father to go to war. His father asked parliament for war supplies. Charles supported the impeachment of the Lord treasurer, and was told he would regret the revival of impeachment by his father. By his father's death in 1625, Charles already had control. -
Charles I Disbands Parliament
During Charles' rule, parliament had started to speak their oppostion to his policies. After Charles fought with parliament over his right to collect customs duties on wine and wool, and over what the House of Commons viewed as religous innovations, Charles disbanded parliament and imprisoned nine of it's leaders. For 11 years after this, he ruled without parliament, financing the government through levies that most people viewed as illegal. -
Charles I Re-assembles Parliament
After ruling for 11 years without Parliament, Charles I, fearful of a Scottish uprising and invasion, decided to re-assemble Parliament. This started the parliament known as "Long Parliament'", because it sat from 1640-1660. However, Charles didn't accomplish his main reason for calling Parliament, which eventually led to the English Civil War. -
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Long Parliament
During this time, Parliament passed much legislation limiting the power of the Monarch and made government based off of a Monarch's whims impossible. -
Triennial Act Passed
This act required that the Monarch had to summon Parliament at least once every three years. During this time, the Commons also impeached Archbishop Laud, whose policies were supported by Charles. They also went further and threatened to abolish bishops. Charles accepted these conditions, fearful of a scottish invasion. -
Rebellion in Ireland Starts
Ever since Henry II took over Ireland in 1171, the english governors there had always ruled the land mercifullessly. Also, the Irish had remained Catholic, even under English rule. The religious differences, together with the economic, political, and social oppression, led the Irish Catholic gentry to lead in uprising, as a result of the feared invasion by anti-catholic forces of Parliament. -
Start of English Civil War
Withou an army, Charles couldn't respond to Irish rebellion or deal with the Scottish, and Parliament wouldn't give an army to someone they didn't trust. Charles went to Northern England, and built an army of nobiility and their cavalry staff, rural gentry, and mercernaries. The English Civil War pitted Charles I and his supporters against the supporters of Long Parliament. Fought to decide if sovereignty in England belonged to King or Parliament. -
Battles of Naseby and Langport.
After three years of unresolved fighting, Parliamentary forces finally beat the King's forces under the leadership of Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell. This brought the war to an end in most people's eyes, and all that was left was for Charles to admit defeat and agree to restrictions on the King and church reform. But Charles refused and war continued. -
King Charles Tried and Executed
After the King was captured, it was time for his trial. The members of parliament that wanted to negotiate with the KIng were prevented from sitting with Parliament by troops. In 1649, the remaining members, called "Rump Parliament", put Charles on trial for treason, which went against the theory of divine right that a lot of countries followed. Charles was found guilty and publicly beheaded, shocking people all around Europe. -
Rule of Cromwell Begins
With Charles gone, kingship was no more. A commonwealth was proclaimed. The legislative power was supposed to reside with the remaining members of Parliament, but the army that defeated the King controlled the government instead, and Cromwell controlled the army. His rule was called a Protectorate, but was more like a military dictatorship. -
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Oliver Cromwell's Rule
The span where the leader of Parliament's New Model Army became the leader of England after King Charles I's execution. He controlled militarily, and divided England into 12 military districts, each governed by a major general. The state restricted or banned many things meant for entertainment. Every religion except Roman Catholics were given the right to practice their faith. Killed many Irish, and is one of the main causes for the Irish hatred of the English. Very absolutist Economy. -
Oliver Cromwell's Death
Cromwell's death marked the end of the military government in England, which left his incompetent son to succeed him. After Cromwell's reign, England longed for return to monarchy and social stability. Cromwell's body was later dug up from it's grave and posthumously "executed", along with the bodies of Henry Ireton and John Bradshaw. -
Declaration of Breda
Declaration where Charles II excused the crimes anyone commited during English Civil War. -
The Restoration
The start of the restoration of the monarchy in England, in the person of Charles II, the eldest son of Charles I. He returned from exile to take the throne. Both houses of Parliament were restored, as well as the Anglican church, the cours of law, and the system of local government through justices of peace. However, failed to resolve issue of attitude toward Catholics and Puritans, as well as what relationship between King and Parliament should be. -
Secret Agreement with Louis XIV
Because he was receiving an inadequate income from Parliament, Charles II went to his cousin Louis XIV and made a deal. Louis would give Charles 200,000 pounds annualy, and in returen, Charles would slowly re-Catholicize England, support French policy against the Dutch, and become Catholic himself. -
King Charles II Dissolves Parliament
At this time, the details of Charles' arrangement with Louis XIV were leaked out and anti-Catholic fear spread throughout England. In response to this, the House of Commons passed an exclusion bill that forbid succession to a Roman Catholic, but Charles quickly dissolved Parliament. As a result, the bill was never declared, and therefore didn't pass, which allowed his brother James to succeed him. -
Charles' Brother James Becomes James II of England
After James succeeded his brother and became James II of England, the English fears were realized. He appointed Roman Catholics to positions in the army, universities, and local government. When his actions were challenged in court, the judges, who were appointed by James, decided in his favor. Lastly, in an attempt to broaden his support, he issued a declaration giving religious freedom to all. -
King James II Flees England
When James fled England with his second wife and his infant son to France and became Louis XIV's prisoners. -
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Glorious Revolution
Event caused out of fear of Catholicism. After James II gave birth to male heir with second wife, Catholic rule seemed inevitable, so England offered Crown to King James' Protestant daughter Mary, and her Dutch husband, King William of Orange. Called "Glorious Revolution" because it replaced one king with another with minimum bloodshed. -
William and Mary Crowned King and Queen of England
Came to power after King James II fled. Accepted English throne from Parliament, and by doing so recognized the power of Parliament. Established that sovereignty was divided between the King and Parliament, and that the King ruled through the consent of the people governed.
