Challenges to royal authority – National 5 History SQA Revision

Challenges to Royal Authority in England

John Pym and parliamentary opposition were a primary challenge to the royal authority of Charles I.
Parliament’s demand for substantial political and religious reforms and the Triennial Act drastically reduced Charles I’s power.
Under the Triennial Act, Parliament could not be dismissed without its consent and it had to convene at least once every three years.
The power struggle culminated in the 1642 standoff in Hull, where Charles I was denied access to the arsenal, symbolising a widespread form of defiance against the monarchy.

The National Covenant (1638) seriously challenged royal authority, representing a collective resistance against Charles I’s religious impositions.
Scottish Covenanters, who opposed Charles I’s religious plans, ended up fighting against him in the first and second Bishops’ Wars (1639-1640).
The resultant embarrassing defeat and political compromise were a significant blow to Charles I’s authority.

The failure to impose Anglican prayer book was a blatant challenge to Charles I’s rule, causing resentment among the Irish.
The Irish Rebellion of 1641, characterised by violent Catholic-Protestant conflicts, directly confronted English rule.
A Catholic-Confederate alliance challenged the royal authority throughout the 1640s, culminating in the Confederate Wars.

Parliament was a source of profound challenge, particularly the Long Parliament (1640-1660).
The prosecution and execution of Charles I’s chief adviser Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, displayed the growing power of Parliament against royal authority.
The Grand Remonstrance (1641), setting out 204 grievances about the personal rule of Charles I, challenged the king’s abuses of power.
The Nineteen Propositions (June 1642) was a historic challenge to the king’s authority, calling for groundbreaking constitutional changes, marking a significant step toward the English Civil War.