Charles I of England

Charles I (19 November 1600–30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625, until his death. He famously engaged in a struggle for power with Parliament; he was an advocate of the divine right of kings. Some in Parliament, however, feared that he was attempting to gain absolute power. There was widespread opposition to many of his actions, especially the levying of taxes without Parliament's consent.

Early life

Charles, the second son of James VI, King of Scots and Anne of Denmark, was born at Dunfermline Palace on 19 November 1600. He was an underdeveloped child (he is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the nation's shortest King) who was unable to walk or talk at the age of three. When Elizabeth I died in March 1603 and James VI became King of England as James I, Charles was originally left in Scotland in the care of nurses and servants because it was feared that the journey would damage his fragile health. He did make the journey in July 1604 and was subsequently placed under the charge of Lady Carey, who taught him how to walk and talk. As an adult he was 5 feet 4 inches (162 cm) tall.

Related Topics:
James VI, King of Scots - Anne of Denmark - Dunfermline Palace - 19 November - 1600 - Guinness Book of Records - Elizabeth I - 1604

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Charles was not as well-regarded as his elder brother, Henry, Prince of Wales. Charles himself adored Henry and tried to emulate him. In 1605, as was then customary in the case of the Sovereign's second son, he was created Duke of York in England. Two years before, in 1603, he was created Duke of Albany in Scotland. When his elder brother died of typhoid in 1612, Charles became heir apparent and was subsequently created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester in November 1616. His sister Elizabeth married in 1613, making Charles virtually an only child.

Related Topics:
Henry - Prince of Wales - 1605 - Duke of York - 1603 - Duke of Albany - Typhoid - 1612 - Heir apparent - Earl of Chester - 1616 - 1613

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The new Prince of Wales was greatly influenced by his father's favourite courtier, George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, who took him on an expedition to Spain in 1623 to look for a suitable bride, and settled on the daughter of the Spanish King Philip III, Infanta Maria of Spain. No marriage occurred, however, as the Spanish demanded the Prince of Wales's conversion to Roman Catholicism. Upon their return in October, both the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Buckingham demanded that James I declare war on Spain.

Related Topics:
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham - Spain - 1623 - Philip III

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With the encouragement of his Protestant advisors, James summoned Parliament to request subsidies for his war effort. James also requested that Parliament sanction the marriage between the Prince of Wales and Henrietta Maria of France, whom Charles met in Paris whilst en route to Spain. It was a good match since she was the daughter of the former French King Henry IV and the sister of the then current King Louis XIII. Parliament agreed to the marriage, but was extremely critical of the prior attempt to arrange a marital alliance with Spain. James was growing senile and as a result was finding it extremely difficult to control Parliament—the same problem would later haunt Charles during his reign. During the last year of his reign, actual power was held not by him but by his eldest son and the Duke of Buckingham.

Related Topics:
Henrietta Maria of France - Paris - Henry IV - Louis XIII

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