Civil War 1642 Why did war break out in England in 1642? Like most wars, the civil war of 1642 erupted because of many different reasons, but perhaps the greatest cause was the weak support parliament offered their king. Relations between parliament and King Charles were evidently unstable. Parliament resisted every attempt Charles made to quench the stirring unrest in the kingdom, and Charles in turn scorned their decisions and further complicated the clash of power. War broke out in England in 1642 because Parliament wouldn’t cooperate with their king. It would be impossible to understand why war broke out without considering at least the two most important long term causes. The importance of showing responsibility in small matters is …show more content…
He was the son of King James I. James was known as the “Wisest Fool in Christendom,” and with reason. A Scottish king who closed parliament every time they had minor disagreements, his son showed strong inclination to adapt his method of rule. James demonstrated his disregard for public opinion openly at ceremonial appearances, by scorning parliament and insulting the common man. He was a fanatical believer in the Divine Rights of Kings. Charles had witnessed the exchange between his Father and Parliament and naturally believed his father to be correct. Charles believed a king could not be wrong. Parliament was undoubtedly overreacting by subjecting Charles to this same scrutiny his father received without giving him an opportunity to prove his ability as a monarch. With what we have just learned in mind, let’s consider what triggered the start of battle. Although the long term causes were no doubt the ultimate causes of the war, they did not start it. The rule of James and tension in parliament along with Charles’ weak character are causes that made the kingdom vulnerable to fatal situations such as war. Even though these causes were long term and didn’t trigger the war, they placed the kingdom in a situation of unrest which made it possible for small disputes to break out in