Category: Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments

Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Charles I, Factions, Health and Medicine, Military history, Parliamentary Life, Stuart

The Politics of Illness, Part 1: Francis Russell, 4th earl of Bedford, 1640-1

In the first of a short series, Dr Patrick Little of the 1640-60 Lords section,  discusses how illness undermined a compromise between Charles I and his opponents in Parliament in the early months of the Long Parliament. Francis Russell, 4th earl of Bedford, is well-known as the originator of the so-called ‘bridge appointments’ scheme, a compromise agreement in the winter of 1640-1 which would have seen Charles … Continue reading The Politics of Illness, Part 1: Francis Russell, 4th earl of Bedford, 1640-1

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Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Charles I, Legislative History, Oliver Cromwell, Stuart

The Baronial Context of the 1641 Triennial Act

Dr David Scott, Editor of the 1640-60 House of Lords section, explores the role of the peers in securing the right of Parliament to meet regularly. The Triennial Act of February 1641 was the first piece of legislation passed by the ‘Long Parliament’ in its momentous thirteen-year history of reform, rule and, in 1649, regicide. Of course, none of the peers and MPs who had … Continue reading The Baronial Context of the 1641 Triennial Act

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Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Art, Fashion and Material Culture, Charles I, History of Parliament Trust, Stuart

John Robartes, 2nd Baron Robartes of Truro (later earl of Radnor): reading in the revolution

In this guest article, Dr Sophie Aldred, lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of Oxford, explores the library of Lord Robartes and what it tells us of his political position during the revolutionary years of the 1640s. Variously described as of an ‘unsociable nature and impetuous disposition’, ‘sour’, ‘surly’, and a ‘destroyer of every body’s business’, John Robartes, 2nd Baron Robartes of Truro … Continue reading John Robartes, 2nd Baron Robartes of Truro (later earl of Radnor): reading in the revolution

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Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Charles I, Corruption, Economic history, James I, Local History, Military history, Stuart

‘Good for nothing and lived like a hog’: the destructive obsession of Francis, Lord Deincourt

Dr Patrick Little of the 1640-60 Lords section, explores the strange life of a peer who valued money above everything. It had started so well. Francis Leak, the son of Sir Francis Leak, a prosperous landowner in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, was the first of his family to try to establish himself on the national stage. He had already taken the important first step of marrying … Continue reading ‘Good for nothing and lived like a hog’: the destructive obsession of Francis, Lord Deincourt

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Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 16th Century history, 17th Century history, Conferences, Seminars and Events, Edward VI, Legislative History, Religious history, Stuart, Tudor

Parliament and the Church, c.1530-c.1630

In this blog, Dr Alex Beeton reviews a fascinating colloquium, held recently at the History of Parliament’s office in Bloomsbury Square. In the early modern period, both England’s Church and its Parliament changed. A Catholic country split from Rome and the importance and prominence of the two Houses of Parliament dramatically increased. These two seismic shifts were not isolated from one another. Parliament’s role in … Continue reading Parliament and the Church, c.1530-c.1630

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Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Electoral Reform, Interregnum, Oliver Cromwell, Parliamentary Life, Religious history, Social history

Oliver Cromwell’s ‘Other House’ and the perils of Lords ‘reform’

In this guest post, Dr Jonathan Fitzgibbons of Lincoln University, looks at a constitutional issue from the 1650s with obvious contemporary relevance: the place of the House of Lords. As politicians continue to debate the House of Lords’ future, including legislation to eliminate its remaining hereditary peers, they might draw lessons from its past. Particularly instructive are the events of the English Revolution, which saw … Continue reading Oliver Cromwell’s ‘Other House’ and the perils of Lords ‘reform’

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Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Local History, Military history, Religious history, Social history, Stuart

Lord Saye and Sele and the Battle for Oxford

In our first ‘Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments‘ article of 2025, Editor of the 1640-60 House of Lords section, Dr David Scott, considers the leading parliamentarian peer, Viscount Saye and Sele, and his relationship with the archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud. ‘The Warre was begun in our streets before the King or Parliament had any Armies’ concluded the renowned church leader Richard Baxter about the outbreak of … Continue reading Lord Saye and Sele and the Battle for Oxford

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Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Military history, Social history, Stuart

‘Friendship and alliance’: the marquess of Hertford and the earl of Essex

In the latest Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments article, Dr Patrick Little looks at the relationship between two brothers-in-law who ended up on opposing sides during the civil war. William Seymour, 2nd earl (and later 1st marquess) of Hertford married Frances Devereux, sister of Robert Devereux, 3rd earl of Essex, in 1617. This was a match between two powerful families, both of which had experienced the ups … Continue reading ‘Friendship and alliance’: the marquess of Hertford and the earl of Essex

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Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Charles I

‘History from above’ and ‘history from below’: the example of Philip Herbert, 4th earl of Pembroke, May to July 1641

Guest blogger Dr Fraser Dickinson uses the events surrounding Philip Herbert, 4th earl of Pembroke, between May and July 1641, to illustrate the interaction between the paradigms of ‘history from above’ and ‘history from below.’ The past is often viewed as being either ‘history from above’ (the ‘great man theory’ of history), or ‘history from below’ (the Marxist emphasis on economic and social forces). Of … Continue reading ‘History from above’ and ‘history from below’: the example of Philip Herbert, 4th earl of Pembroke, May to July 1641

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Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Interregnum, Oliver Cromwell, Social history

The Sport of Kings – and Protectors!

In this blog, Dr Patrick Little, of the 1640-60 Lords section, explores the enduring popularity of horse-racing, even during the rule of that archetypal puritan, Oliver Cromwell… Oliver Cromwell is blamed for many things without any basis. There are ruined castles said to have been destroyed by him (even though he never went near them); Christmas was famously banned by him (it wasn’t – blame … Continue reading The Sport of Kings – and Protectors!

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