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Assess The Reasons For The Breakdown Of The Personal Rule

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Essay - Breakdown of the Personal Rule – Assess the reasons for the breakdown of the personal rule.
Charles’ personal rule was successful in the way that Charles managed to sustain himself and the country for eleven years. However, the enforcement of Laudianism on the Scottish people and the outbreak of war between the Scottish and the English ultimately led to the breakdown of the Personal Rule. Charles was out of touch with his people and lacked the right support and funding he needed to successfully win against the Scots. The failure of the Short Parliament worsened his situation and by arresting opposition, Charles alienated the people whose support he needed.
Charles was out of touch with his people as well as with the Scots. His enforcement …show more content…

Ship money is a clear example of this and, despite managing to collect nine-tenths of what he asked for, after a few years many people refused to pay ship money. Such is seen in the case of John Hampden who refused to pay. The decrease in the revenue of ship money, which started off at £190,000 a year to …. A year, made it difficult for Charles to raise enough money in order to prepare for war against the Scots. Furthermore, City of London’s refusal to loan more than …. To Charles made it even harder for Charles to sustain himself and his people as well as get ready for war, as he could not meet this level of expenditure on prerogative taxation. The breakdown of the personal rule was due to Charles inability to get enough money. As seen with the City of London, it is clear that Charles was just not getting the right amount of money he needed due to people not trusting him to pay them back afterwards. The refusal of people lending him money led to the calling of the Short Parliament and therefore the breakdown of the personal rule. Furthermore, the Short Parliament’s refusal to grant the King subsidies before England’s grievances were tended to, led to the arrest of nobility by Charles, who in reality needed their support. Without the loans, Charles could not pay for the Bishop’s War, leading to its failure. Moreover, the dissolution of Parliament made Parliament only more determined to address grievances when it was to be undoubtedly called again. This process was sped up with the Treaty of Ripon, putting Charles in a situation where calling a Parliament was necessary as he was now being asked to pay £850 a day. Charles’ financial situation, as well as his inability to keep the nobility supportive of him, contributed to the breakdown of the personal

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