Treaty of Uxbridge facts for kids
The Treaty of Uxbridge was an important attempt to stop the First English Civil War in early 1645. It was a negotiation between King Charles I and the Parliament, but it did not succeed.
Contents
Background: Why They Talked
In November 1644, Parliament created 27 rules or "propositions." They sent these to King Charles I in Oxford. Many of these ideas, called the Propositions of Uxbridge, came from Archibald Johnston. Parliament's demands were very strong. They wanted to set up Presbyterianism (a type of Protestant church) in England. They also wanted Parliament to control all military matters.
King Charles felt his army was doing better after some battles, like the Second Battle of Lostwithiel and the Second Battle of Newbury. He also heard about Montrose's victories in Scotland. Montrose even won the Battle of Inverlochy while the talks were happening. This made the King less willing to give in. But Parliament also felt more confident because of their new army, the New Model Army. So, neither side was very keen to compromise.
What Each Side Wanted
The historian Samuel Rawson Gardiner explained what each side asked for.
Parliament's Demands
Parliament wanted many things that would give them more power than the King:
- They wanted to approve any new nobles the King created.
- They wanted to approve who the King chose for important jobs, like officers and judges.
- They wanted to control how the King's children were educated and who they married.
- They wanted Parliament to decide if England went to war or made peace.
- They wanted a special group of people, including Scottish leaders, to control all armies in both England and Scotland.
- They wanted to punish many Royalists (people who supported the King). They also wanted these Royalists to pay for the war.
- They wanted the church in England to be very similar to the church in Scotland.
- They even wanted the King himself to sign an agreement called the Solemn League and Covenant.
These demands were very tough. They would have taken away much of the King's power. It was almost like asking him to give up his throne.
The King's Offers
King Charles's ideas, given on January 21, 1645, were much more flexible:
- He wanted the government to go back to how it was in August 1641.
- He wanted to protect the Book of Common Prayer from being disrespected.
- He wanted to create a new law that would allow for more religious freedom for Protestants.
The King's offers seemed like a good starting point for real discussions.
The Meetings in Uxbridge
The two sides stayed in Uxbridge for the talks. The Royalists stayed on the south side of town, and the Parliamentarians stayed on the north side. The meetings took place at the house of Sir John Bennet.
The negotiations lasted from January 29 to February 22, but they did not lead to any agreement. The King only offered to slightly reduce the power of bishops in the church. He also offered to give Parliament some control over the army, but only for three years. These offers were not enough for Parliament.
See also
- Crown and Treaty
