The History of England

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cover art for 329 Oaths and Libels

Sunday, October 31, 2021

329 Oaths and Libels

By the time parliament met again in 1606, James' government was dominated by the men he laughingly referred to as his 'Trinity of Knaves'. And the foremost of those by some way was Robert Cecil, a chip off the old block. Cecil took full advantage of the Gunpowder plot with a massive subsidy - and James' Oath of Allegiance.

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Sunday, May 28, 2023

376 Letters of Blood

As opposition to reform gathered in parliament and the king plotted to regain control, all came down to Strafford. Would the architect and executor of the king's party survive? Or fall, and his master's authority with it?

Sunday, May 21, 2023

375 Divisions

Charles' response to the Scottish Declaration was severe; but it also caused a division in the Junto, and among MPs. Meanwhile, as poublic religious debate exploded, divisions also grew between Presbyterians and Independants.

Sunday, May 14, 2023

374 Paradise Lost

Francis Russell, Earl of Bedford believed that an accommodation could be reached with Charles - a amoderate agreement that would preserve the king's honour but provide a lasting reform. And early in 1641, an agreement was within grasp.

Sunday, May 7, 2023

Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Angevin Empire

This is the story of how Eleanor of Aquitane's choices helped create an Empire is Wesern Europe. And to persaude you to suppot the podcast through membership at https://thehistoryofengland.co.uk/become-a-member

Sunday, April 30, 2023

373 Dreaming of a Golden Age

The Parliament that convened in November 1641 would define Charles' reign. He would have to offer some concessions. but who would define their extent? The sympathetic royalist MPs, the moderate Reformers - or the Radical members of the Junto? And Charles still had Strafford at his side, breathing fire.

Sunday, April 23, 2023

372 Go On Vigorously

Charles and his Privy Council stretched life and limb to equip and pay for a new army to pull the king out of this fire. The Junto and Scots did everything they could to keep him in it. The result came in at Newburn.

Sunday, April 16, 2023

371 Parliament Recalled

As an exhausted king arrived back in Whitehall, his view had not changed one whit - the Scots must be taught a lesson and returned to obedience. More ,money raising ventures followed, but it was quickly clear that only one could solve the problem - parliament

Sunday, April 2, 2023

370 Reduce to Obedience

'I expect not anything can reduce that people to obedience but force only' Charles wrote to Hamilton in 1638, and the actions of the General Assembly of the Kirk had made probably made it inevitable. And sure the combined might of England, Ireland and Royalist Scots could do the job. Wentworth certainly thought so.

Sunday, March 26, 2023

369 Daur ye say Mass in my lug?

Against sage advice, Charles was determined to bring Scottish and English churches into harmony, by introducing a Scottish Book of Common prayer, and Canons. When the new service was to be used on 23rd July 1638, opponents were prepared.