Seventeenth Century From Charles I To Oliver Cromwell Essay, Research Paper
THE POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS WINDS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY FROM CHARLES I TO OLIVER CROMWELL
The Restoration, a period of invariably altering ideals, shows how the alteration in authorities from Charles I to Oliver Cromwell affected the people of that clip, shows the Child of Hope, shows the displacement in air currents of faith, compares and contrasts Absolutism and Constitutionalism, shows how the influence of the English people on the universe, and shows a new epoch being heralded in without which we would non be. The 17th century, started with the Ascension of Charles I to the throne of his male parent James II. It was a comparatively stable period under Charles I, yet it shortly became engrossed in a civil war, of which. Oliver Cromwell and Dissenters led. They formed an jury-rigged democracy, which subsequently collapsed. This led to Restoration of Charles II, whose new theoretical accounts of authorities helped to alter ideals in faith non merely in Europe, but besides in the universe.
James I handed the reigns of the commonwealth to his lone male inheritor Charles, who at the age of 25 still had no married woman, and hence was non conveying any legitimate inheritors to the throne with him ( Chapman 17 ) . Charles I was a steadfast truster in Godhead right. During his reign he seldom asked for aid, believing his determinations as those ordained by God ( Kagan 451 ) . As stated by Howard Tomlinson: The most high and sacred order of male monarchs is of Godhead right, being the regulation of God himself, founded in the premier Torahs of nature, and clearly established by expressed texts both of old and new testaments ( 4 ) . During the reign of Charles I jobs with parliament escalated to a point at which confusion erupted ( Wright 187 ) . Problems with money had plagued this monarchy for several centuries, though later it would see wealth coming from its settlements ( Buchan 9 ) . The Tudors ( before the Gilbert stuarts ) were better able to face parliament, and had much more success in making so ( Wright 186 ) .
After the Scots rebellion the Crown needed money once more, and since money could non be raised without the consent of parliament, parliament began to remain in session more ( Wright 187 ) . The foreign policy Charles was able to implement helped the royal household acquire out of a fiscal bind ( Kishlansky 61 ) . The household was known to be Protestant yet approaching the terminal of his reign there is grounds to turn out Charles I was at bosom Roman Catholic ( Chapman 283 ) . This Catholic influence would go on to play a function in the lives of the remainder of the monarchy ( Chapman 282 ) . During January of 1629 it was decided by parliament to lawfully seek to cut down the power held by the Crown. In so making it was found that Popery and puting revenue enhancements on the people without their consent was lese majesty ( Kagan 454 ) . Popery was particularly bad in England because it was in England that the male monarch was besides the caput of the church and could do any spiritual policies he desired.
When parliament declared Charles I guilty of lese majesty England was full of assorted emotions. Those who followed the male monarch believed that merely through entry to divine authorization could they be true Christians. Dissenters were able to derive control therefore decapitating Charles, and unwittingly making a dictator ( Tomlinson 3 ) .
Monarchists were those who supported the male monarch. Their name was derived from Caballeo ( Spanish ) this term denoted person who was Catholic and had an utmost disfavor for Protestants ( Chapman 57 ) . Roundheads were those who supported anyone but the male monarch. Their name referred to the learners of the twenty-four hours, these learners caused struggles to intensify into force and in bend caused many people to fly the metropoliss ( Chapman 58 ) .
With via media now about impossible parliament was non about to alter. It could non alter because: Parliament was already so far in front, Religion could be used to command and rock the people, and Charles was stubborn ( Buchan 53/54 ) . Oliver Cromwell emerges as the leader of the dissidents and rapidly takes control of a volatile state of affairs. Authority was clearly being questioned ( Wright 190 ) . The clip parliament had in control was useless, because now they could non hold with Oliver Cromwell ( Wright 188 ) . They had established the Instrument of Government which is referred to as the first fundamental law, done in modern-day manner it would subsequently be the anchor of the United States Constitution, though it helped England really small ( Lunt 441 ) . This Instrument of Government was passed by parliament, yet it still gave the people of England really small, so it had to be maintained by force ( Lunt 440 ) . This Cavalier Parliament brought with it rigorous Protestant regulations, it unified the Squire and Parson of the clip. They now had one end to distribute their faith ( Kishlansky 61 ) . There was dissention even among the dissidents, who could non hold on spiritual authorization ( Wright 8 ) . Cromwell acted as the male monarchs he hated when in 1656 he was forced to name parliament back into session, and to do certain he received the money he so urgently needed, he excluded 100 members who he knew would vote against him ( Lunt 442 ) . Finally, when this Parliament could take no more the made a day of the month for disintegration, yet Oliver could non wait, and was forced to demo his true colourss when he cast out the hosiery and declared it officially dissolved ( Lunt 439 ) . Cromwell, as history shows, was a really good military strategian, but a hapless politician ( Roots 20 ) . It is said that we must judge non merely by what person did, but besides by what they set out to make ( Buchan 428 ) .
The last words of Oliver Cromwell as written by John Buchan are as follows: Lord, tough I am a suffering deplorable animal give them consistence of judgement, one bosom, and common love ( 441 ) . The jury-rigged democracy was now over, as stated by John Buchan: A democracy can non be made simply by beheading a monarchy ( 351 ) . England was now no longer a state, but in the confusion of little cabals. For a piece it looked as if she ne’er would be ( Buchan 261 ) . It was during this clip that several members of the clergy and upper society began to decline commitment ; they stated that they had already sworn commitment to James II ( Tomlinson 5 ) . After William and Mary consideration was given to the Duke of Monmouth who s male parent was Charles II. This could non be lawfully proved, so he was so excluded, and his protagonists were executed ( Kinshlansky 62 ) . Execution was seen as a must, trust was held sacred, and privateness cherished. Cardinal Richelieu ( France ) Stated: The English were so foolish they killed their wisest adult male in mention to the decapitation of Charles I ( Buchan 78 ) . Now the Monarchists worked diligently to distribute rumours about this absolutism ( Chapman 340 ) . The people of England were overjoyed when the reign of Oliver Cromwell was over, but his Commonwealth and Protectorate would be remembered, and used in the old ages to come ( Lunt 443 ) . Remarkable during this clip it became stylish to analyze Greek texts, therefore the Humanist motion of the 17th century had begun ( Wright 190 ) .
The Child of Hope ( Charles II ) was to the people of England about a God. They believed him to b
vitamin E ordained from God, and put religions in him as hope for the hereafter ( Chapman 65 ) . Charles obliviously used the thought of Predestination to his advantage. Predestination was one of the cardinal beliefs of those who were Protestant ( England at this clip was about wholly Protestant ) , and it was Martin Luther who saw it as a warrant of the compact ( Roots 191 ) .
So great was the worship of this male monarch that provincials would race out of their bungalows to snog his stateliness ( Chapman 81 ) . The king even appointed a twenty-four hours, July Twenty-Sixth, in award over his victory over The Duke of Monmouth ( Tomlinson 1 ) . Soon this male monarch had the support of foreign states every bit good. The Spanish supported England, and they did this so that England would back up Spain against her competition France ( Chapman 302 ) .
The spiritual air currents of this clip were variable and one had problem taking which to follow. They were still a job under the regulation of James II, because the Puritans had thought he would be more supportive ( Kagan 452 ) . The Clergy took discourtesy to this and stated that they most surely did non alter their discourses or ethical motives to suit their present fortunes ( Tomlinson 3 ) . Integrity and Order became the keys to command of faith in the 17th century. They were runing as one, which resulted in a incorporate and orderly clergy ( Sutherland 6 ) .
God s work began to take on a new form as the belief that God worked through people spread. Peoples were non to be judged because judging them would be like judging God ( Roots 215 ) . Now that faith was back on the head, the political relations of faith began to be questioned. Peoples started to see the ends of their church, and most did non like what they saw ( Sutherland 2 ) . England since the clip of Henry VIII tried to divide the pope-like responsibilities of the Church of England from those of the male monarch, both claimed to be of godly inspiration ( Sutherland 2 ) .
All this convulsion started coming to an terminal when what was called a Parliamentary Monarchy developed. This allowed both Parliament and the Monarch joint control of their destinies. It let the people speak, yet still had the absolute control afforded a monarchy ( Kagan 449 ) . During the 17th century two signifiers of authorities had been developed in Europe. The first, adopted by England was constitutionalism, which would turn out to be the best. It created a Constitution, written by the people, which governed the people ( Kagan 449 ) .
The other signifier of authorities, adopted by France was Absolutism. In tyranny all the power was held by the monarchy, which meant that the people ( in general ) were really unhappy because they had no voice in their authorities ( Kagan 449 ) . The tribunal at Versailles had more influence on European civilization than any other ( Wright 188 ) . These became the theoretical accounts of other states, and merely the monarchy that wasn t dependent on the church or landed aristocracy could last ( Kagan 449/450 ) .
Approaching the terminal of the regulation of James II, a secret plan was revealed, in which the Jesuits ( a Catholic order ) would assassinate the male monarch, and in so making would alter England back to Catholicism ( Kishlansky 62 ) . This would hold been a catastrophe for England since Protestant dissidents made up the in-between category of the twenty-four hours, the category that made most of the money their state hungrily took ( Tomlinson 8 ) . During this Roman Plot William Godfrey was found murdered, and it was arranged to look like a self-destruction. He was a justness of the peace, who most probably found out more so he needed to cognize ( Marshall1 ) . Most felt the Catholics were behind this, but it was subsequently proved that Gofrey was their friend ( Marshall 2 ) . The Protestants took complete advantage of the state of affairs, their propaganda bolstered their thoughts, and the freshly invented printing imperativeness spread these thoughts like wild fire ( Marshall 3 ) . Now Godfrey was a sufferer, there were many theories of his decease, yet none could of all time be proved ( Marshall 1-2 ) .
The new revolution was now taking topographic point ; this was due mostly to a new curse, which parliament required the sovereign to take. This curse required the male monarch to continue the imposts and Torahs of the Protestants. ( Kishlansky 63 ) . Now scientific discipline and doctrine every bit good as faith were being questioned ( Wright 189 ) . This revolution was one of the most of import in history ( Wright 187 ) .
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THE POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS WINDS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY FROM CHARLES I TO OLIVER CROMWELL
The Restoration, a period of invariably altering ideals, shows how the alteration in authorities from Charles I to Oliver Cromwell affected the people of that clip, shows the Child of Hope, shows the displacement in air currents of faith, compares and contrasts Absolutism and Constitutionalism, shows how the influence of the English people on the universe, and shows a new epoch being heralded in without which we would non be.
Outline
I. From James II to Charles I
A. Divine Right
B. Popery
II. Civil War
A. Dissenters
B. Monarchists
III. Oliver Cromwell
A. Instrument Of Government and Rump Parliament
B. Death of Oliver Cromwell
IV. Child of Hope ( Charles II )
A. Predestination
B. Support
V. Religious Unity
A. Variable Integrity
B. God s Work
VI. Constitutionalism Versus Absolutism
A. Constitutionalism
B. Absolutism
VII. Revolution
A. Popish Plot and Martyrdom
B. Revolution
two
THE POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS WINDS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY FROM CHARLES I TO OLIVER CROMWELL
By
Brad Evans
Presented to
Ms. Parsons
English IV
March 1, 2000
