Charles I Absolutism In England

Absolutism across Europe proved to be both effective and ineffective, as through the cases of Louis XIV in France, and Charles I in England. The reign of Louis XIV (1643–715) proved to be the prime example of an absolute monarchy in the seventeenth century. Much of its success could be attributed to the instability in France that preceded Louis’s reign as well as his administration of the government and religious policies. On the other hand, England under Charles I struggled to enforce absolutism due to the emergence of Parliament. This led to social, economic, and religious turmoil amidst society which eventually steered the nation into a civil war. Absolutism succeeded in France through the policies of Cardinal Richelieu and Cardinal Mazarin, Louis XIV’s dominations of his ministers and secretaries, and the strive for religious uniformity. In the contrary, absolutism failed in England through the power of Parliament and religious tension.

In 1628, Parliament passed the Petition of Right, a petition prohibiting taxation without Parliament’s consent. Charles understood how this agreement limited his royal power, and decided in 1629 that he would rule independent from Parliament. He levied a tax called “ship money” which payed for “coastal defense…on seacoast towns,” (Spielvogel 473). In his attempt to enforce monarchical rule, however, Charles lost it because he received great opposition from middle-class merchants and the gentry, who believed Parliament needed to consent to the king’s