• Absolutism is a political theory in which one individual holds unlimited and complete power, with no challenges from the rest of the nation or government. This means the individual has ‘absolute’ power. • James I and absolutism: James I was the king of England from 1603 to his death in 1625. He united the thrones of England and Scotland and was the first of the Stuart Kings. • James I believed in the ‘Divine Right of Kings’, meaning simply that the ruler was chosen by God and thus cannot be challenged in any way, shape or form, this is a common defence of monarchical absolutism. • He also wrote ‘The True Law of a Free Monarchy’, this was his idea that he his ideals were for God and not the people, meaning he was free from all hindrance including
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He ruled England with the thought that everyone should obey and follow him. This caused a divide between him and the people as he held the most power. • Charles I and absolutism: Charles I ruled England between the death of his father, James I, in 1625 to his execution in 1649. He was the first ruling King of England to be executed and his greed for absolute power was the reason behind the English Civil war and the period of 11 years without a monarchy. • When Charles came to the throne after his father’s death there was high tension with parliament began at once due to Charles’ belief in the ‘Divine Right of Kings’ and his attempts at absolute power for the monarchy. • One of his first acts was to dissolve parliament in 1625, and again in 1626. In 1629, he dissolved parliament again and ruled without it until 1640. He summoned the ‘Short Parliament’ in April of 1640 but dissolved them after three weeks when they refused to grant him funds. • In November of 1640 the ‘Long Parliament’ as assembled and passed an act that stated it couldn’t be dissolved without its own
He ruled England with the thought that everyone should obey and follow him. This caused a divide between him and the people as he held the most power. • Charles I and absolutism: Charles I ruled England between the death of his father, James I, in 1625 to his execution in 1649. He was the first ruling King of England to be executed and his greed for absolute power was the reason behind the English Civil war and the period of 11 years without a monarchy. • When Charles came to the throne after his father’s death there was high tension with parliament began at once due to Charles’ belief in the ‘Divine Right of Kings’ and his attempts at absolute power for the monarchy. • One of his first acts was to dissolve parliament in 1625, and again in 1626. In 1629, he dissolved parliament again and ruled without it until 1640. He summoned the ‘Short Parliament’ in April of 1640 but dissolved them after three weeks when they refused to grant him funds. • In November of 1640 the ‘Long Parliament’ as assembled and passed an act that stated it couldn’t be dissolved without its own