- Charles raised his standard at Nottingham in 1642, declaring war to parliament.
The Battle of Edgehill was the first main battle in the civil war.
Marston Moor was another battle in the war where the cavaliers lost. This was the first big blow for the cavalers as they lost many supporters.
The Second Civil War
Thanks to Charles, there was a second Civil War, but it only lasted a few months and Charles´s friends were defeated again. However, this was enough to persuade Cromwell and some other army officers that it was useless to negotiate with the King. They forced Parliament to put him on trial.
Charles was then asked to say whether he pleaded innocent or guilty, but refused to do so. Instead he said…
“The court has no legal right to put the king on trial”
Charles refused to speak on the following days he was called to appear before the court. Eventually the commissioners met without him and listened to evidence. There were 3 main points:
2. A soldier who changed sides to Parliament during the war claimed Charles had mistreated Parliamentarian prisoners of war and quoted the king as saying :“I do not care if they cut them three times more, for they are mine enemies”
On 27 January Charles was brought before the court again. Charles was promised he could make a speech. First Charles asked to speak to the Commons and Lords because he had a plan for peace, but this was refused. Then he tried to make a statement to the Court, but this was refused. Basically, they wouldn´t let him speak when they had promised to.
On the morning of 30 January 1649, Charles prepared himself for death. It was bitterly cold, so he wore two shirts to stop people think he was shivering from fear rather than the cold. He stepped out onto the scaffold outside banqueting house.
”there was such a groan by the thousands present, as I never heard before and desire I may never hear again.”
Quite a happy ending for a civil war, right?
THE END
The execution was fixed for 30 January. The death warrant still had to be signed. Of the original 135 commissioners, only 59 signed the warrant for Charles’ execution.
The English Civil War
CAVALIERS vs ROUNDHEADS
CAVALIERS WERE THE KING´S SIDE
ROUNDHEADS WERE PARLIAMENT´S SIDE
Charles I
Oliver Cromwell
Charles I was the king of England.
He was the leader of the cavaliers.
His nephew, Prince Rupert trained
his cavalry.
Oliver Cromwell was an important man
in the civil war. He helped parliament win
by realizing that they needed better cavalry
and collecting up men and training them.
The King´s mistakes were.....
Parliament´s mistakes were...
1.He married a Catholic Queen, Henrietta Maria.
2.He introduced unpopular taxes such as "Ship money"
3.He tried to make the Church of England more catholic.
4.He tried to extend his policies to Scotland.
5.He wanted to rule without parliament for 11 years
6.He only called parliament back after 11 years because he was in trouble and needed more money.
7.He tried to arrest 5 Mps but failed.
1.Parliament refused to give Charles money at the beggining of his reign and that´s why he got off to a bad start.
2.Parliament imposed the Grand Remonstrance, a set of demands such as parliament chosing King´s ministers and the power of bishops be reduced.
3.Parliament took control of the army without Charles´ permission.
4.Parliament imposed the nineteen propositions,
a set of demands, such as laws against catholics being enforced and parliament controlling the education of the King´s children and forbid them to marry without parliament´s approval.
THE WAR
1. Charles started a war against Parliament and his people by raising the Royal Standard in Nottingham in 1642.
THE TRIAL OF CHARLES
After The Civil War
Charles was put on trial on 20 January 1649, in Westminster Hall. Many people were reluctant to be involved. Top lawyers and judges disappeared to their country estates. A High Court of Justice was set up with 135 commissioners, but on the first day only 65 turned up,
Although the war dragged on for another year,
Cahrles was running out of money. In 1646, he
decided to give up the fight. He slipped quietly
out of Oxford and made his way north to Newark
where he surrended to the Scottish army.
3. While Charles was imprisoned in Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight, he was secretly negotiating with his son Charles to raise an army and restore the king to his throne
When the Scots handed Charles over to
Parliament, he managed to escape to the
Isle of Wight, an island at the south of
England. In the Isle, he was caught and
kept prisoner in Carisbrooke castle.
First the charges were read out …
“Charles, trusted with a limited power to govern according to the laws of the land and to use the power for the good of the people has:
- Failed to allow the freedom of ordinary people taken away the power of Parliament
- Raised an army against Parliament and his people
THE EXECUTION
Afterwards, devoted followers of the King and souvenir hunters rushed to dip their handkerchiefs in his blood and take hairs from his head and beard. The following day his head was sewn back on, and a few days later the body was quietly buried at Windsor Castle.
The court read out its final verdict …
“This court does judge that Charles Stuart, a tyrant, traitor and public enemy of the people, shall be put to death by the severing of his head from his body”