Why were the motives for war different in the three kingdoms?

Why were the motives for war different in the three kingdoms?

Introduction

The English Civil war is the period of conflict in the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland between 1632-1651. These conflicts became known as the 'Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The object of this essay is to define why the motives for war were different in each Kingdom. In this analysis it is then necessary to discuss King Charles 1, his background, religious problems that he encountered and also parliamentary and monetary issues, which were contributory factors to the causes of the Civil war. These issues as we will see also impacted in Ireland were problems with Catholicism and the early plantations of 1610 precipitated the cause of rebellion in Ireland. Reaction against Presbyterianism in Scotland as we shall discover was a motive that also contributed to being another factor in the precipitation of war. Conclusively through these findings we will understand why the motives for war were different in the three kingdoms.

Charles I, King of England, from Three Angles. The...

ENGLAND CRICKET TEAM

[Edinburgh from the castle, Scotland] (LOC)

Background to Charles 1

On the continent the 30 Years War was occurring in Europe. Catholic rulers attempted to eradicate Protestants in their countries and this fuelled rumours in England that something similar might happen. During that period Charles 1 was king of England from 1625 to 1649 and was a member of the Stuart Royal family and the son of King James 1. Charles shared his father's notion of Divine Right, and his belief that kings should be immune from the kind of criticism and correction appropriate for lesser mortals, but he had none of his father's understanding of how far and how fast he could go in pursuing his objectives. He wanted to enhance the wealth and status of the Church, as it now existed, with its Episcopal structure. He wanted to...