Why was Charles forced to recall Parliament in 1640?
Answers
Charles called Parliament in April 1640 and then dismissed it again because MPs refused to give him what he wanted. However, he was forced to recall Parliament in November 1640. ... Many MPs were disgusted by the way Pym twisted the laws to get Strafford executed. The evidence against him was very weak.
Explanation:
Charles called Parliament in April 1640 and then dismissed it again because MPs refused to give him what he wanted. However, he was forced to recall Parliament in November 1640. For the next 12 months Charles still did not get the money he wanted. Pym and the other Puritan MPs attacked Charles’s ministers. They criticised Laud’s policies on the church.
In May 1641 Parliament accused the king’s chief minister and friend, Lord Strafford, of treason (betrayal of the country) and executed him. Many MPs were disgusted by the way Pym twisted the laws to get Strafford executed. The evidence against him was very weak. Pym used biased witnesses and prevented Strafford from talking to his lawyers. The trial collapsed, but Parliament then passed an Act that said Strafford was guilty of treason (rather than actually proving it).
After Strafford’s death the attacks on Charles’s policies continued.
In August 1641 Parliament got rid of ship money.
In November they passed the Grand Remonstrance. This was a document criticising the policies of Charles and his ministers. MPs had never criticised a king’s actions like this before.
Some MPs felt Pym and the Puritans were going too far. They began to argue with Pym and support Charles. After all, Charles was the king, appointed by God. The country began to divide into Royalists, who supported Charles, and Parliamentarians.