Cavalier Parliament retained 1641 legisltion, limiting King's power with abolition of Star Chamber and High Commission and Ship Money and maintenance of Triennial Act
New Triennial Act of 1664 was less binding - Charles ruled without Parliament 1681-1685
The monarch restored with significant powers over foreign policy, appointment of advisers and ability to prerogue/move parliament & revoke Corporation/Borouggh charters to defeat Exclusion Crisis (Quo Warranto)
1681-1685 Charles worked closely with Parliament, met every year
Parliament continued to have say in Charles' ministers and attacked/removed Clarendon (1667) and Danby (1678/79)
1 of 10
Failure: Constitutional Settlement
Reliance on power of purse and restoration of powers created same potential areas for conflict between Crown and Political Nation
Charles was only just able to defeat the Exclusion Crisis by continuing to prerogue and dissolve Parliament
Improved financial situation of country and monarchy in 1680s raised prospect of a monarch to rule without Parliament
2 of 10
Success: Raising Finances
Convention Parliament of 1660 abolished feudal dyes and granted Tonnage&Poundage for life as well as a £1.2 million grant for government expenses per year
Hearth Tax introduced by 1662
Danby's influence: direct administration of customs and excise resulted in Crown revenue growing
£840K in 1670 to £1M in 1678
Parliamentary grant of £1.8M given in 1667 on condition that public accounts were examined
Treaty of Dover provided £225,000 per year from French
Growth in trade and lack of war - increased revenue
3 of 10
Failure: Raising Finances
Only £400,000 of the £1.2M granted in 1660 was collected - new system continued old failed practice of monarch 'living off his own'
Parliaement continued to use 'Power of the Purse' - 1670 withheld a £300,000 grant until harsher Conventicle Act was passed
Crown debt increased
£750,000 between 1674 and 1679
Charles II was extremely extravagant
Turning to the French for financial assisstance - politically dangerous
4 of 10
Success: Religious Settlement
Growth in Latitudinarianism represented a strain of Anglican thinking more tolerant of dissenters and debate
Punishment of dissenters and Catholics was popular with conservative political nation - Dissenters became less political
Charles never made TReaty of Dover public
Produced a strong Anglican Church
5 of 10
Failure: Religous Settlement
The 'liberty to tender consciences' promised in 1660 Dec of Breda not materialised
Clarendon Code, Conventincle Act 1664, Five Mile Act 1665, the Trest Acts 1673 and 1678 produced narrow, repressive Church
Charles attempt to promote toleration and dissented in 1672 Dec of Indulgence hated by Anglicans
Treaty of Dover 1670 agreement to support Catholics extremely unpopular
Several thousand Quakers died in prison
Mistresses undermined puritan support and Louise de Kouraille was unpopular
6 of 10
Success: Foreign Policy
Scotland and Ireland remained fairly placid - didn't interfere with Exclusion Crisis
Danby's decision to support the Dutch from 1675 was politically popular and parliament agreed to raide 30,000 troops / £1M to support it
After 1678 relative peace on continent
Charles raised money from France - enabled rule without Parliament
7 of 10
Failure: Foreign Policy
Dutch fought a successful propaganda war to divide Crown and Parliament
1673 pamphlet 'England's Appeal from the Privae Cabal at Whitehall to the Great Council of the Nation' published - Catholicism, France and Charles absolutist plot
Close relationship with France raised Catholic, absolutist threat
Involvement in 2nd (65-67) and 3rd (72-74) Dutch war was unpopular and not militarily successful
1667 Disaster on the Medway
8 of 10
Success: Support Among Political Nation
Cavalier Parliament 1661 was strongly Royalist
Fear of Civil War - defeat the Whigs by raising fear of chaos
Repression of non-conformists popular
'Merry Monarch' raised stature, returning to extravagance and ceremony
Continued practice of 'touching for the King's evil' - and Restoration celebration banished memories of puritan rule
Willing to work with Parliament and dismiss his adivsers with unpopular
Both Clarendon and Danby were moderate advisers who urged cooperation
9 of 10
Failure: Support Among Political Nation
Relationship with France and ruling without Parliament after 1681 raised fear of Catholic absolutism
Whigs had clear support throughout Exclusion Crisis
Brutally repressed non-conformists
Lifestyle of Merry Monarch blamed for Plague and Great Fire (1665-1666)
CABAL and Danby viewed by some as cynical, Danby built support by bribing parliamentary allies
Court and Country divisions / Tory and Whig divisions
Fear of popery amd Exclusion Crisis saw re-emergence of Mob and pamphleteering raising prospect of Civil War
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