Radicalism, dissent and the approach of war: the spread of religious…

The idea

The imposition of Laudianism provoked the spread of religious radicalism and dissent, visible in the underground Puritan networks and the high-profile punishments of Prynne, Bastwick, and Burton. The crisis escalated when Charles I imposed a new English-style Prayer Book on Scotland in 1637, triggering the 1638 Scottish National Covenant to defend Presbyterianism. Charles's attempt to crush this rebellion led to the First Bishops' War in 1639, which ended inconclusively with the Pacification of Berwick because the English militia was underfunded and unenthusiastic. Charles's subsequent failure to secure adequate funds from the Short Parliament resulted in the disastrous Second Bishops' War in 1640, where Scottish forces occupied Newcastle, forcing Charles to summon the Long Parliament.

What earns the marks

• Analyse the spread of religious radicalism in response to Laudian reforms, highlighting the role of Puritan pamphleteers and underground networks.
• Evaluate the significance of the 1638 Scottish National Covenant as a unified national rejection of Charles I's religious and political interference.
• Assess the reasons for Charles I's failure in the First Bishops' War, focusing on the weaknesses of the English militia and financial constraints leading to the Pacification of Berwick.
• Explain the consequences of the Second Bishops' War, particularly the Scottish victory at Newburn and the resulting Treaty of Ripon which forced the recall of Parliament.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Treating the First and Second Bishops' Wars as a single continuous conflict.

  Put it right: Distinguish between the First Bishops' War (1639), which ended without major bloodshed at the Pacification of Berwick, and the Second Bishops' War (1640), which involved actual combat and English defeat.

• Claiming the Scottish Covenant was a rebellion against the monarchy itself.

  Put it right: The Covenanters initially claimed loyalty to the King, framing their opposition strictly against his religious innovations and 'evil councillors'.

• Overstating the military strength of the Scottish army as the sole reason for Charles's defeat.

  Put it right: Acknowledge that Charles's defeat was equally due to the reluctance, poor training, and lack of funding of the English forces.

Exam tips

• Link the spread of religious radicalism in England to the Scottish rebellion to show how opposition to Charles I was a cross-border issue.
• Use the Pacification of Berwick to demonstrate Charles I's financial and military weaknesses during the Personal Rule.
• Argue how the Second Bishops' War was the immediate catalyst for the collapse of the Personal Rule, as it made the summoning of the Long Parliament unavoidable.