English Civil War

Background to the Conflict

James I of England, by Paulus van Sommer

James VI of Scotland became James I of England. James was an autocratic king, a believer in divine right, and was innately suspicious of Parliament. He came from Scotland where he'd been overshadowed and, he felt, bullied. He came to England determined to be a true king.

He was well-educated and was at first well-recieved. Soon enough, however, he offended Parliament with his autocratic behavior. Parliament protested, but James usually mollifed and temporized, and managed to avoid serious crises.

James' maneuvering merely delayed a confrontation. After he died in 1625, the members of Parliament were determined to assert their claims. But they met with a new king who was every bit as autocratic as the old one.

History of Western Civilization

E.L. Skip Knox
Boise State University

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