Failure Of Post-War Settlement (Chapter 13)

Front 1

How did army officers feel after success in the Second Civil War?

Back 1

Confident, being assured by godly providence directing their forces against Parliament.

Front 2

List the interwoven themes that led to a failed settlement and regicide

Back 2

-Charles: failed to accept settlement

-Parliament: role in governing & divisions between Political Presbyterians & Independents

-New Model Army: politicisation, Levellers, attempt at settlement, role of key figures, relationship with Parliament

-Radicalism: religiously & politically in NMA

Front 3

Summarise the view of Marxist historian Manning

Back 3

The events of 1646-49 were a revolution led by people predominantly outside the governing class of the traditional Political Nation. While there can be no doubt that the regicide is truly a singular event in British history, who was chiefly responsible for it and how far the regicide led to fundamental change is still open to debate.

Front 4

How do historians differ on the English Revolution?

Back 4

The Marxist historian Hill wrote about revolution in 1640 as Parliament starting to erode the power of the monarch. Others would reference the regicide of 30th January 1649. Some would put the regicide as the high point of the revolution which began with the politicisation of the New Model Army in 1647. It is also legitimate to see the revolution in more broad terms, such as the period 1640-60 or 1647-60.

Front 5

Summarise the English Revolution

Back 5

Wherever the focus of different historians the English Revolution was, in essence, the removal of a monarch and the emergence of new radical and political groups, that was that was centred in the middle of the 17th century, during 1640-60.

Front 6

What happened in the summer and autumn of 1648?

Back 6

Political Independent MPs, fearing the increasing radicalism of the army, moved for a reconciliation with the king. They also repealed the Vote of No Addresses in a desperate attempt to end the war.

Front 7

What was the Newport Treaty?

Back 7

Preparation was made for proposals from Parliament to the king, now held captive on the Isle of Wight.

Front 8

What formally outlined the position of the army?

Back 8

The Remonstrance of the Army; Ireton demanded that Parliament put Charles on trial to be bought to justice.

Front 9

What would happen if Parliament refused the Remonstrance?

Back 9

A purge of Parliament and then the king's trial to follow.

Front 10

What made the army act on the threats of the Remonstrance?

Back 10

A vote in Parliament on 5th December 1648 (129 MPs voting in favour & 83 against) to continue the Newport Treaty with Charles.

Front 11

Who led the purge of Parliament?

Back 11

Colonel Thomas Pride.

Front 12

Which MPs were removed?

Back 12

Those regarded as most in favour with negotiating with Charles.

Front 13

When did Cromwell arrive in London?

Back 13

The evening of 6th December 1648, after the purge had been completed, to the suspicion of some contemporaries.

Front 14

What was the Rump Parliament?

Back 14

Since 1649, the term has been used to refer to any parliament left over from an actual legitimate parliament. These remaining MPs would bring Charles I to trial.

Front 15

How many commissioners were appointed as the king's judges?

Back 15

A total of 135 commissioners, but many of them refused to act.

Front 16

Was the trail of Charles an attempt at settlement?

Back 16

It is possible that some, including even Cromwell, saw the trial as a final means to make Charles realise he now had to come to settlement.

Front 17

How did Charles react to his trial?

Back 17

He refused to accept the court's legitimacy as he didn't believe it had the authority to judge a monarch.

Front 18

What did Charles' stubbornness confirm to Cromwell?

Back 18

The 'necessity' of permanently removing Charles to try to settle the nation, if they didn't he would continue to instigate war. This political pragmatism was reinforced by providence: God had led those who wanted Charles executed to this decision.

Front 19

How many commissioners became regicides?

Back 19

Many never attended any sessions of the court, nevertheless, 59 became regicides by signing the death warrant of Charles I.

Front 20

What happened on 30th January 1649?

Back 20

Charles I was taken through the banqueting hall of Whitehall Palace (walking underneath the Rubens painting that he had commissioned to glorify the divine right of kings) to the scaffold for his execution. Charles' head was severed with a single blow.

Front 21

Was Cromwell a 'reluctant regicide'?

Back 21

Once Cromwell reconciled himself to the necessity regicide, he was forceful in ensuring its enactment. However, he had been looking to counter his belief that God had judged the king. Cromwell certainly wanted action against Parliament and justice on Charles but, 'neither in his letters nor in the army declarations do we find an unambiguous commitment to regicide.'

Front 22

What was the political impact of the regicide?

Back 22

The regicide was to mark the subsequent non-monarchical regimes in the eyes of the elite in the most negative of terms, thereby hampering the chances of a long-term settlement without a monarch.

Front 23

Summarise Charles I's rule

Back 23

In sparking a multiple-kingdom conflict and provoking his own execution, it would be hard to argue that Charles I did anything but fail as a monarch.

Front 24

What happened after Charles' death?

Back 24

His removal did little to solve the financial, religious and political tensions. From 1649 to the 1690s the themes of finance, religion and Crown-Parliament relations continued to be fundamental, and it was only after further revolution that the early modern English state was transformed to recognisably 'modern' and subsequently supported a British empire.