The reign of Charles I, 1625-49

Charles I was the only monarch in English history to be put on trial and publicly executed. His reign saw an unparalleled breakdown of government that led to Civil War and Revolution. Small wonder, then, that he has been widely condemned as an inept ruler, wholly unsuited to kingship. Yet, to others, he was the victim of a military coup, a tragic figure of blameless personal life, creative ideas and high principles, who died rather than risk betraying the Crown’s powers or the Church of England.

This course will address these debates by focusing on Charles’s personality and style of government. It will examine the nature of his political and religious beliefs, and how he tried to implement them. The extent of his responsibility for the Civil War and Revolution will be a central theme: was early seventeenth-century England impossible to govern or just badly governed? Throughout the classes, there will be extensive reference to primary sources as well as to the complex historiography of the Stuart monarchy. Each class will be accompanied by a hand-out of primary source material.

What our students say

"Dr David Smith was wonderful. Not only so knowledgeable about the material, but his manner of delivery and lecturing made me feel as if I was back in that period."