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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, but his foes in Parliament 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. Charles also adopted a religious policy that continued the Anglican "middle path," and was actively hostile to the Reformist tendencies of many of his English and Scottish subjects. His policy was obnoxious to CalvinistEmmanuel de Witte Calvinism is a Protestant Christian doctrine named after John Calvin. Calvin had international influence on the development of the doctrine of the Protestant Reformation, beginning at the age of 25, when he started work on his first edit theology, and insisted that the Church of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and is the mother branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. Christianity was planted in Britain in the first or second c's liturgyFrom the Greek word λειτουργια, which can be transliterated as "leitourgia," meaning "the work of the people," a liturgy comprises a solemn religious ceremony, following a carefully prescribed f be celebrated with all of the ceremony and vestmentVestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religions, especially the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican Churches. For the Catholic Mass the priest wears special garb or vestments each article of which symbos called for by the Book of Common PrayerThe Book of Common Prayer is the prayer book of the Church of England and also the name for similar books used in other churches in the Anglican Communion. It has been through many revisions over the last few centuries. It contains the order to be followe. Many of his subjects thought these policies brought the Church of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and is the mother branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. Christianity was planted in Britain in the first or second c too close to Roman CatholicismThe Roman Catholic Church (often called simply the Catholic Church, but see Catholicism for other meanings of the term "Catholic Church") is a worldwide body of Christians in full communion with the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, and subscribing to the beliefs.
The last years of Charles's reign were marked by the English Civil WarThe English Civil War is the period of conflict in the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland between 1639 and 1651, and also refers specifically to the two wars ( 1642 1645 and 1648 1649) between the Royalist supporters of Charles I of England and the; he was opposed by the forces of Parliament (which challenged his attempts to augment his own power) and by Puritans (who were hostile to his religious policies). The war ended in defeat for Charles, who was subsequently tried, convicted and executed for high treason. The monarchy was overthrown, and a republic (in reality, a military dictatorship) established. Charles's son, Charles II, would later restore the monarchy in 1660.
