The Parliament :: essays research papers

The Parliament was an elected organization set up by theking to manage the country to save the King the effort.Although officially ruled by the King, Parliament wasincreasing its power so rapidly that by the 1600s it couldno longer be relied on to do what the King wanted. KingCharles first came into conflict with his Parliament in 1629when he ordered Parliament to raise taxes and it refused.His response was to abolish Parliament and he ruledParliament on his avow for 11 long time. However, the peopledidnt nutriment him and he ran short of money so he had toreinstate Parliament in 1640.However, conflict broke pop out again in 1642 when Charlestried to have 5 members of Parliament arrested who hadbeen actively disagreeing with his policies. The MPs fledinto the back of the streets of London plainly when the Kingwent after them, the citizens expelled him angrily from theircity. This was a direct violation by the people of thesupreme power of the King and marked the beginning ofthe English Civil War.Those English who supported the King (the Cavaliers) hadsupport in north England and Wales and theparliamentarians (Roundheads) had support in the rest ofEngland. Despite the fairly even start, however, theCavaliers were fought back and in 1646 the Roundheadsforced the King to surrender. However, at the cease send awaynegotiations Charles would not agree to the Roundheadterms and after a stalemate the war erupted again in 1648.Once again the Cavaliers were defeated but this time heRoundheads did not accept a surrender and insteadcaptured the and executed Charles in 1649. England nowhad no King. For the next 11 years was a Republic. It wasruled from 1633 to 1658 by a general named OliverCromwell, who was a fundamental Protestant but anextremely cruel man. He was given the title Lord Protectorof the Commonwealth of England, but he had been activein Ireland long before he undertook that role.In 1641, just before the Civil War, the Irish of Ulster hadbegun an uprisin g and attacked the planters who hadsettled 30 years before. Between 10,000 and 15,000Protestant planters were murdered by the Irish at placessuch as Portadown. Due to the war, the English did nothingabout this and the death-toll became heavily exaggerated all over time. In 1649, after the Civil War had ended,Cromwell landed at Dublin with 12,000 men with theintention of punishing those who had uprisen. He firstattacked Drogheda and captured it, slaughtering over 3000people. He then marched on Wexford town and massacredseveral hundred people there.