Charles I's ascension to the English throne in 1625 was a period of mounting tension between the king and Parliament that finally resulted in the English Civil War and the suspension of the monarchy for a while. Charles's strict adherence to the divine right of kings and his unpopular policies pitted him against Parliament and the greater English community.

Charles I, also like his father James I, was an ardent believer in the divine right of kings a theology instructing that kings derived their powers directly from God and were answerable to Him alone. This dogma made Charles view opposition to him both as a personal affront and an interference with divine order. He therefore liked to ignore parliamentary consent, unilaterally taking decisions that encouraged resentment among his subjects.

Parliamentary Dissolution and Financial Disputes

During his reign, Charles was plagued by financial difficulties, particularly the expense of fighting a war against Spain and ultimately France. Parliament, distrusting his intentions and resentful of his use of favorites like the Duke of Buckingham, was not keen on furnishing the funds required. As retribution, Charles resorted to non-parliamentary ways of generating revenue, such as "forced loans," forcing the subjects to lend money to the crown or else be put in jail. This autocratic measure generated tremendous tension with Parliament.

Parliament in 1628 presented the Petition of Right, a constitutional document asserting that taxes could not be levied except with parliamentary approval and citizens could not be imprisoned without cause. Though Charles reluctantly signed the petition, he continued to be evasive regarding parliamentary authority. Dissatisfied with repeated quarrels, he dissolved Parliament in 1629 and embarked on an eleven-year period of personal rule, commonly referred to as the "Eleven Years' Tyranny."

Religious Policies and Scottish Rebellion

Charles's religious policies further and further alienated large sections of his kingdom. Marriage to Henrietta Maria, a Catholic French princess, bred suspicion among his Protestant subjects for a return towards the Catholic faith. The appointment of William Laud as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633, Charles approved reforms seen by many as being too sympathetic to Catholic rites, leading to disgruntlement among Puritans and other Protestant communities. citeturn0search0

In 1637 Charles attempted to impose a new prayer book upon Scotland, a Presbyterian country. This was resisted vigorously, and the Bishops' Wars ensued. The army losses and cost of these wars forced Charles to summon the English Parliament in 1640, ending his personal rule.

The Long Parliament and the Slide into Civil War

The 1640 Parliament, also known as the Long Parliament due to the fact that it sat for an extended period, sought to remove grievances accumulated in the past decade. Members tried to curb the authority of the king, removing instruments like the Star Chamber and establishing provisions under which it was not possible to dissolve Parliament without its consent. The crisis came when Charles attempted to arrest members of Parliament in 1642, which constituted a blatant misuse of the royal prerogative.

This move heightened the suspicion between Parliament and the monarchy, leading to the outbreak of the English Civil War in the latter half of the year. The war saw the participation of Royalists, who were loyal to the king, and Parliamentarians, who sought to limit monarchical power. The war came to an end with a win for Parliament, and in 1649 Charles I was tried for high treason, a momentous event marking the huge transformation in English politics. citeturn0search4

Legacy

Charles I's reign is a turning-point in English history, the struggle between the absolute monarchy and the emerging idea of constitutional rule. His conduct and the civil war that it created lead the way towards the eventual establishment of a constitutional monarchy, which had royal control balanced against the predominance of the parliaments. This practice has endured and evolved in the intervening centuries.