The English Civil War Part 1 King James I

The Divine Right of Kings Queen Elizabeth had granted Englishmen the rights in the Magna Carta. James I, though he was raised to respect those rights, wanted to rule as an Absolute Monarch. He believed in the Divine Right of Kings. That was the idea that God chose who was king and his choice of course should be unquestionable

James I Clashes with the Parliament First of all, James was a King of Scotland (James VI), England’s traditional enemy. James I spent huge amounts on the government, his advisors, and himself and was constantly asking Parliament for more money Members of Parliament were outraged at how lavishly James lived and resisted James sold noble titles to make money and gave them away as bribes and rewards.

Parliament also opposed James I over foreign policy, when he… made peace with Spain resulting in large reparation payments tried to marry his eldest son to a Catholic Spanish Princess. When James canceled the marriage the people, who had feared the return of the Inquisition, celebrated! About the only thing parliament thought he did right was commission a new English translation of the Bible.

The Puritans The Puritans wanted to “Purify” the English Church of anything “Catholic.” When James became King they petitioned him to change the Church James saw these critics as disloyal and persecuted them. Many left England…Some settled in the New World.