English Civil War

 

James Stuart of Scotland was a person obsessed with the “Divine Right” to rule as he pleased. The failed Catholic Gunpowder plot to blow up the parliament in 1605 leading to anti Catholic riots and leading to unrest in the country and the failure by him and his son Charles I led to a civil war because they failed to understand the English trend of Parliamentary Liberty leading to civil war.

James died  in 1625 no one felt the grief and his successor Charles I came into a rift with Parliament as he did not summon Parliament for 11 long years and then he ran out of funds and summoned it in 1640.

The parliament was all ready to explode and did not grant him any funds making Britain split into two – ie. the Loyalists (Cavaliers) and people who supported the Parliament (Roundheads).

The first major confrontation of this civil war took place at Edgehill in the Cotswolds in 1642, with the supporters of Parliament gaining an upper hand in the battle of Naseby and in 1645 Charles I was captured and put on trial for treason.

King Charles refused the court’s jurisdiction over him and he doubted that they would harm their King.

However he was still prosecuted and was found guilty and 59 republicans signed his Death Warrant.  This was the first and only time that a reigning King of England was beheaded.

When Charles II came to the throne he prosecuted those that he could in 1660.

Charles II was the son of beheaded Charles I, and his place was restored by the nation.

About the author: This glimpse of British History is offered to you by Dave Young on behalf of Coach Hire London. For coaches hire London bus ring +447961659814.