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The rise of Parliament and the Divine Right of Kings
Study note
Elizabeth I was skilled at managing Parliament, but James I and his son Charles I were less skilled. Both believed in the Divine Right of Kings, the idea that the king was directly appointed by God and could act without Parliament's approval. When Charles I could not get Parliament to agree with his policies, he tried to rule without it at all, finding ways to raise money without Parliament for 11 years until trouble in Scotland forced him to recall it.
Memory tip: Divine Right of Kings = the king is appointed by God; Charles I ruled 11 years without Parliament.
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What was the 'Divine Right of Kings'?
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