E) Second Civil War and Charles' Execution (1646 - 1649)

Created by: lucyf
Created on: 29-04-14 15:28

View mindmap

Second Civil War and Charles' Execution (1646 - 1649)
- 1646
  - The War Party
    - Support for Cromwell + Fairfax and creation of New Model army not intended to humiliate or execute king after defeat
    - Regicide = unthinkable for most MPs
      - Issue was to win war that had dragged on (awful example of 30 Years War)
    - Believed Charles would see logic of his position after defeat + come to terms
    - Many were not radical in religion or politics
      - Feared creeping anarchy that a continuing war would bring
    - Virtually ceased to exist with victory
      - Assumed Charles would now negotiate
      - Leadership in Commons = passed to opponents of the Independents + the army men in Parliament
        MPs aims
        Make rapid agreement with King
        
        Disband expensive + increasingly threatening army
        
        Establish national Presbyterian Church (all have to attend)
  - King's attitude to settlement
    - Had no intention of giving up any powers and prerogatives
    - Saw self as central to any agreement
    - All his enemies (Parliament, army, Presbyterians, Independents, Scots) were traitors
      - Therefore any agreements with them could be broken - only duty = to regain rightful God-given place as divine-right monarch
    - The longer he prolonged negotiations = more enemies would 'fall out amongst themselves'
  - Religion
    - Presbyterians loathed + feared Independency
      - Represented potentially anarchical system of Church government
      - Anglicanism = wrong - so was idea of the gathered congregation
      - Any agreement with Charles must include establishment of Presbyterianism as state religion
        Power to crush Anglicans + increasingly difficult Independents
        
        Might be realistic aim if Independency didn't have a power base in army
        Independents = minority in country + Parliament
- Army vs. Parliament (1646-8)
  - Many MPs (led by Holles) wanted to disband army as soon as possible - saw as threat
    - Holles didn't offer army reasonable financial settlement to encourage to disband
      - Army - only way to get what they saw as their rights = to interfere in any settlement with King
  - Solemn Engagement
    - Made by army - disillusioned with Holles + Presbyterian majority in Parliament
    - Newmarket, 29 May 1647
    - Wouldn't disband until had settlement that had approval of an Army Coucil
      - Would represent opinions of all parts of army (composed of general officers, 2 commissioned officers from each regiment + 2 soldiers from each regiment)
  - Newcastle Propositions
    - Charles received whilst a prisoner of Scots (before handed him over for payment of Scot army)
      - Played for time - eventually accepted modified version
    - Demanded Presbyterianism be established in England (Anglican Church + bishops abolished)
      - Would be state religion
    - Parliament would have control over armed forces for 20 years
    - Could have opened prospect of coalition of forces vs. army (Presbyterians in Parliament, Royalists + Scots)
      - Scots feared + disliked Independent-dominated army as much as Holles etc.
    - Army's reaction (1647)
      - Cornet Joyce + 500 troops went to Holdenby (2 June), seized King and took to army at Newmarket
        Could now negotiate with King directly
      - The Declaration of the Army (June)
        Demanded Parliament set date for own dissolution
        
        11 MPs 'impeached'
        Clear threat that army would march on London - withdrew from Parliament
      - The Heads of Proposals
        Charles prolonged negotiations - bad
        Religion
        In some ways, best offer for protection of Anglican Church
        Previous Parliamentary offers = destruction of Anglican Church (replaced by Presbyterianism)
        
        Religious toleration
        Implication of CofE could exist
        Without coercive powers
        
        Army had power to enforce settlement
        Parliament couldn't without army consent
        Could block with military strength
        
        Army offer to King
  - London 'Counter-revolution'
    - Presbyterian mob
    - Possibly organised by Holles
    - Invaded Commons + Lords
      - Attacked MPs likely to come to agreement with army
      - Restored 11 withdrawn Presbyterians
      - Forced commons to pass resolution inviting King to London (despite under army's arrest)
      - Leading Independents fled to army (allies)
    - Army response
      - Occupied London 6th August
        Keep down 'counter-revolution' + pressure Parliament
  - Potential army splits
    - 'The Case of the Army Truly Stated
      - Frustration with Parliament + King
        Fed radical + Leveller ideas
        Unease about Role of Cromwell, Ireton etc.
      - Unease about Role of Cromwell, Ireton etc.
      - Demanded biennial Parliaments (elections every 2 years)
      - 'All free born Englishmen over 21 should vote'
      - 'All power is originally... in the whole body of the people'
    - Putney Debates
      - Leveller attidutes
        Colonel Thomas Rainborough (one of most radical Levellers) stood on idea of 'natural rights'
        'The poorest he that is England hath a life to live as the greatest he' + all should vote
        
        John Wildman (another prominent radical): soldiers had earned right to vote by fighting
      - Discussions between Levellers in the army + senior officers
      - What the future constitution of England should be
      - Representatives of each regiment ('agitators') = ranged vs. Cromwell + Ireton
        More conservative political instincts wouldn't allow to consider sweeping reforms as Levellers put forward in the 'Agreement of the Poeple'
        'The Agreement of the People' - demands
        'The Case of the Army Truly Stated
        Frustration with Parliament + King
        Fed radical + Leveller ideas
        
        Demanded biennial Parliaments (elections every 2 years)
        
        'All free born Englishmen over 21 should vote'
        
        'All power is originally... in the whole body of the people'
        
        Continued arguments of 'The Case of the Army Truly Stated'
        
        Biennial Parliaments
        
        No authority was above Parliament
        
        Nobody could be forced to do military service
        
        All should be equal in the eyes of the law
        
        Parliamentary constituencies should all be same size
        
        Present Parliament should be dissolved on 31 December 1648
    - Failure to come to agreement
      - Opposing views of senior officers + Levellers couldn't be reconciled
      - Cromwell desperate to keep army together
        Feared anarchy
        
        Stressed on agreements (some kind of reform, religious toleration)
        Sympathies on radical political reform really with 'grandees'
    - By October 1647
      - Continuing negotiations with King = no progress
    - Senior officers reaction to Levellers
      - Cromwell opposed Leveller ideas
        Would lead to anarchy
      - Ireton (clearer political thinker) = more philosophical stance in discussions
        Argued vs. Leveller idea 'natural rights'
        Took view that society = based on property
        Therefore, only those who had 'a permanent fixed interest in the Kindom' should vote
- Second Civil War (1648)
  - Charles escapes
    - Effects of Charles' actions
    - Allied with Scots by the Engagement (26 December)
    - Made contacts with English Royalists to organise risings
    - Parliament temporarily as horrified by implications as the army
      - Passed Vote of No Addresses - wouldn't negotiate with King
    - Obvious a 2nd civil war (Charles, Scots + Royalist elements vs. army + reluctant Parliament) about to break out
      - Leveller agitation died down
        Exception: mutiny at Corkbush Field (Cromwell put down easily)
        
        Soldiers would trust Cromwell over radicals in dangerous times
        Army united again
  - Royalist failure
    - Scottish invasion (perhaps greatest threat) = defeated by Cromwell at Preston (August)
    - Charles had fled from Hampton Court to Carisbrooke Castle on Isle of Wight
      - Believed governor Robin Hammond would be sympathetic + provide a secure base to organise war from
        After some hesitation, Hammond imprisoned him
  - In essence
    - Series of uprisings
    - Local grievances = driving force as much as Royalist sympathies
    - Some Presbyterians joined Royalists
      - Most remained neutral
        Appalled by prospect of another civil war
    - Mass of country
      - Most remained neutral
        Appalled by prospect of another civil war
- Charles' Trial + Execution
  - Army's decision to try King
    - Pride's Purge
      - 6 December 1648
      - Colonel Thomas Pride
      - List of MPs army were sure wouldn't vote for trial
      - Stood at door of Commons
      - Kept out c.110 MPs
        Some in house arrest
        
        250 more either withdrew or didn't attempt to enter
        
        Left c. 60 (inc. Cromwell) who would agree to trial
        135 had been named
    - Largely united in view: no peace while Charles lived
    - Furious at repeal of Vote of No Addresses
    - Ireton probably driving force
    - Parliament (as then) would never agree to trial
      - Totally illegal under constitution
      - Unthinkable to conservative instincts
    - Army + group of Independent MPs couldn't simply execute Charles
      - Had to justify in the eyes of the world - trial of King as a war criminal = essential
      - Some parliamentary element needed to give impressions that law was being observed
  - Charles' trial
    - Refused to plead/speak throughout
      - On legal grounds that there was no law that could try him - he was the law
    - Possibly saw trial as a bluff to force into settlement
      - Misunderstanding opponents
    - After presiding judge (Bradshaw) passed death sentence, suddenly tried to speak
  - Execution
    - 30 January 1649
    - Banqueting House in Whitehall
Could dispense army without paying its full arrears of pay
- False beliefs
  - King would negotiate in good faith
  - Independency in army + minority in Parliament could be suppressed or ignored
  - 1646
    - The War Party
      - Support for Cromwell + Fairfax and creation of New Model army not intended to humiliate or execute king after defeat
      - Regicide = unthinkable for most MPs
        Issue was to win war that had dragged on (awful example of 30 Years War)
      - Believed Charles would see logic of his position after defeat + come to terms
      - Many were not radical in religion or politics
        Feared creeping anarchy that a continuing war would bring
      - Virtually ceased to exist with victory
        Assumed Charles would now negotiate
        
        Leadership in Commons = passed to opponents of the Independents + the army men in Parliament
        MPs aims
        Make rapid agreement with King
        
        Disband expensive + increasingly threatening army
        
        Establish national Presbyterian Church (all have to attend)
    - King's attitude to settlement
      - Had no intention of giving up any powers and prerogatives
      - Saw self as central to any agreement
      - All his enemies (Parliament, army, Presbyterians, Independents, Scots) were traitors
        Therefore any agreements with them could be broken - only duty = to regain rightful God-given place as divine-right monarch
      - The longer he prolonged negotiations = more enemies would 'fall out amongst themselves'
    - Religion
      - Presbyterians loathed + feared Independency
        Represented potentially anarchical system of Church government
        
        Anglicanism = wrong - so was idea of the gathered congregation
        
        Any agreement with Charles must include establishment of Presbyterianism as state religion
        Power to crush Anglicans + increasingly difficult Independents
        
        Might be realistic aim if Independency didn't have a power base in army
        Independents = minority in country + Parliament
Negotiations restart with King
- Charles' Trial + Execution
  - Army's decision to try King
    - Pride's Purge
      - 6 December 1648
      - Colonel Thomas Pride
      - List of MPs army were sure wouldn't vote for trial
      - Stood at door of Commons
      - Kept out c.110 MPs
        Some in house arrest
        
        250 more either withdrew or didn't attempt to enter
        
        Left c. 60 (inc. Cromwell) who would agree to trial
        135 had been named
    - Largely united in view: no peace while Charles lived
    - Furious at repeal of Vote of No Addresses
    - Ireton probably driving force
    - Parliament (as then) would never agree to trial
      - Totally illegal under constitution
      - Unthinkable to conservative instincts
    - Army + group of Independent MPs couldn't simply execute Charles
      - Had to justify in the eyes of the world - trial of King as a war criminal = essential
      - Some parliamentary element needed to give impressions that law was being observed
  - Charles' trial
    - Refused to plead/speak throughout
      - On legal grounds that there was no law that could try him - he was the law
    - Possibly saw trial as a bluff to force into settlement
      - Misunderstanding opponents
    - After presiding judge (Bradshaw) passed death sentence, suddenly tried to speak
  - Execution
    - 30 January 1649
    - Banqueting House in Whitehall
- Gap between conservative, moderate, largely Presbyterian majority + independent minority MPs = widened
- Most MPs = no settlement without King
  - Vote of no addresses repealed
- Started with Newport treaty
  - Parliament = couldn't support army's desire for religious toleration + obvious radical leanings
    - Settlement with King = attractive (regardless of past)
- King regarded self as indispensable
Many junior officers + rank and file = disillusioned with Parliament's failure to move on demands
- By October 1647
  - Continuing negotiations with King = no progress
Senior officers under suspicion from elements of army - regarded officers as 'grandees'
- Potentially selling out - unwilling to force Parliament or King to settlement
Escaped army custody (11 November)
- Charles escapes
  - Effects of Charles' actions
  - Allied with Scots by the Engagement (26 December)
  - Made contacts with English Royalists to organise risings
  - Parliament temporarily as horrified by implications as the army
    - Passed Vote of No Addresses - wouldn't negotiate with King
  - Obvious a 2nd civil war (Charles, Scots + Royalist elements vs. army + reluctant Parliament) about to break out
    - Leveller agitation died down
      - Exception: mutiny at Corkbush Field (Cromwell put down easily)
      - Soldiers would trust Cromwell over radicals in dangerous times
        Army united again
Revolts in Kent, Essex, South Wales + Norwich
- Royalist failure
  - Scottish invasion (perhaps greatest threat) = defeated by Cromwell at Preston (August)
  - Charles had fled from Hampton Court to Carisbrooke Castle on Isle of Wight
    - Believed governor Robin Hammond would be sympathetic + provide a secure base to organise war from
      - After some hesitation, Hammond imprisoned him
- As much vs. high taxation, hated County Committes + army as for undiluted Royalism
- Fanatical Royalists = not universally trusted by allies
  - ie. Roger Le Strange - prominent + disastrous role in Kent uprising
- Risings not well coordinated
- Didn't attract sort of mass support to be victorious over army
- Some vicious fighting (esp. Colchester - executions after fall of town)

Get Revising

E) Second Civil War and Charles' Execution (1646 - 1649)

Comments

Similar History resources: