The Bishop's was a series of politial and religious conflicts centered around the restructuring of the Church of Scotland during the reign of Charles 1. The conflict was sparked by the publishment and enforcement of the Scottish Prayer Book in 1637, the response by the Scottish church called the National Covenant and culminated with Scottish Rebellion.
The Scottish Prayer Book
See Main article Scottish Prayer Book
In 1637 Charles I's attempt to impose a new Prayer Book on his Scottish subjects provoked a major rebellion and the signing of the National Covenant with the Scots pledging themselves to uphold 'true religion and liberty'. Charles, and his father King James 1 before him, had throughout their reigns wished to prescribe fixed forms of liturgy and prayer (as had long been in place in England) to their native Scotland. Charles was firmly of the opinion of forcing Anglican forms to Scotland and the great majority of the Scottish people were equally determined to resist. Charles felt that he had compromised enough with the slight revisions he made compared with the English version and was not minded to accept any further compromise. He had Scottish Bishops (x and xx) and Archbishop Laud draw up a Book of Common Prayer for Scotland. The Book was immediately denounced by the Scottish people and was never even put into use.
Scottish Rebellion
It was in Scotland that the religious revolt began.
Scotland was still a feudal country where men had little interest in politics. In Scotland the Reformation had been a popular movement. The Scottish Church had a democratic organisation, and the influence of the ministers over the Lowland population was immense. James had restored authority of the bishops and broke the power of the Scottish General Assembly. Charles continued his father’s policy.
In 1637 he imposed on Scotland an order of service and prayer book closely resembling the Anglican. The first reading in St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh caused a riot. Organised resistance followed. A petition called the National Covenant pledging the signatories to maintain the integrity of the Scottish Church was signed by huge numbers of people.
Charles thought it necessary to allow the meeting of Scottish General Assembly which proceeded to abolish the power and authority of the Anglican episcopacy in Scotland.
Charles then prepared for war however his army was untrained and lacking in morale, while the army of the Scottish Covenanters was full of enthusiasm and contained many who had gained experience as mercenaries on the Continent.
Under the command of Alexander Leslie, a veteran of the 30 Years War in Holland and Sweden, the Covenanter’s army defeated the army of the King at the Battle of Newburn, then captured the city of Newcastle and occupied Northumberland and Durham
Charles was forced to negotiate.
By the Pacification of Berwick everything was referred to a new Parliament and General Assembly. Fresh disputes followed. Resolved to continue the war, Charles was driven by lack of finance to summon the English Parliament. Even Wentworth agreed, trusting to the old national grudge of Englishmen against Scotsmen.
When Parliament met, the Commons preceded at once to the raise their own grievances. The King insisted that they must first deal with his demands, but having heard that the leaders of the Commons were negotiating with the Scots, he quickly dissolved the Parliament. The arbitrary measures recommended by Wentworth did not, however, raise sufficient finance for the King’s needs.
The Scots invaded England and occupied Northumberland and Durham. Then 2 peers petitioned the King to recall Parliament. He preferred to call a Great Council of 12 peers at York. The peers negotiated with the Scots the Treaty of Ripon. However the calling of a new Parliament could not be avoided.
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YEAR1649-03-17Act_Abolishing_the_Office_of_King0Act Abolishing the Office of King Act Abolishing the Office of King
Act Abolishing the Office of King
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 17 March 1649
1648-11-18Army_Remonstrance1Army Remonstrance Army Remonstrance
Army Remonstrance
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 18 November 1648
1649-01-30Civil_War_-_Regicide2Civil War - Regicide Civil War - Regicide
Civil War - Regicide
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 30 January 1649, 6 December 1648
1648-12-06Civil_War_-_Regicide2Civil War - Regicide Civil War - Regicide
Civil War - Regicide
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 30 January 1649, 6 December 1648
1660-04-04Civil_War_-_Restoration3Civil War - Restoration Civil War - Restoration
Civil War - Restoration
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 4 April 1660
1642-06-01Commissions_of_Array4Commissions of Array Commissions of Array
Commissions of Array
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 1 June 1642
1645-01-10Execution_of_Archbishop_William_Laud5Execution of Archbishop William Laud Execution of Archbishop William Laud
Execution of Archbishop William Laud
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 10 January 1645
1649-01-30Execution_of_Charles_I6Execution of Charles I Execution of Charles I
Execution of Charles I
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 30 January 1649
1641-05-12Execution_of_Thomas_Wentworth7Execution of Thomas Wentworth Execution of Thomas Wentworth
Execution of Thomas Wentworth
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 12 May 1641
1647-12-24Four_Bills8Four Bills Four Bills
Four Bills
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 24 December 1647
1641-11-22Grand_Remonstrance9Grand Remonstrance Grand Remonstrance
Grand Remonstrance
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 22 November 1641
1647-09-22Heads_of_Proposals0Heads of Proposals Heads of Proposals
Heads of Proposals
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 22 September 1647
1653-12-16Instrument_of_Government1Instrument of Government Instrument of Government
Instrument of Government
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 16 December 1653
1641-12-07Militia_Ordinance2Militia Ordinance Militia Ordinance
Militia Ordinance
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 7 December 1641
1645-06-14Naseby3Naseby Naseby
Naseby
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 14 June 1645
1638-02-27National_Covenant4National Covenant National Covenant
National Covenant
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 27 February 1638
1646-07-01Newcastle_Proposals5Newcastle Proposals Newcastle Proposals
Newcastle Proposals
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 1 July 1646
1642-06-01Nineteen_Propositions6Nineteen Propositions Nineteen Propositions
Nineteen Propositions
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 1 June 1642
1628-06-07Petition_of_Right7Petition of Right Petition of Right
Petition of Right
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 7 June 1628
1649-09-11Petition_of_the_Leveller_Women8Petition of the Leveller Women Petition of the Leveller Women
Petition of the Leveller Women
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 11 September 1649
1647-10-01Putney_Debates9Putney Debates Putney Debates
Putney Debates
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 1 October 1647
1647-06-05Representation_of_the_Army0Representation of the Army Representation of the Army
Representation of the Army
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 5 June 1647
1640-12-11Root_and_Branch_Petition1Root and Branch Petition Root and Branch Petition
Root and Branch Petition
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 11 December 1640
1647-05-01Saffron_Walden2Saffron Walden Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 1 May 1647
1637-07-23Scottish_Prayer_Book3Scottish Prayer Book Scottish Prayer Book
Scottish Prayer Book
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 23 July 1637
1640-04-13Short_Parliament4Short Parliament Short Parliament
Short Parliament
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 13 April 1640
1639-01-01The_Bishop's_War5The Bishop's War The Bishop's War
The Bishop's War
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 1 January 1639
1642-01-04The_Five_Members6The Five Members The Five Members
The Five Members
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 4 January 1642
1648-02-22The_Second_Civil_War7The Second Civil War The Second Civil War
The Second Civil War
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 22 February 1648
1644-12-19The_Self_Denying_Ordinance8The Self Denying Ordinance The Self Denying Ordinance
The Self Denying Ordinance
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 19 December 1644
1645-01-29Treaty_of_Uxbridge9Treaty of Uxbridge Treaty of Uxbridge
Treaty of Uxbridge
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.: 29 January 1645
1645-06-14