Charles the first and the English civil war in Oxford
Charles the first and the English civil war in Oxford It is generally known that King of England Charles I was extravagant, a patron of the Arts and that he had his head removed. Less is known about his last years in Oxford. His soldiers, supporters and for a short period his French wife Henrietta Maria retreated to the city before losing the war with Parliament. He held court at Christchurch College, borrowed silver from colleges to mint his own coinage and summoned Parliament to Christchurch’s dining hall. Charles I succeeded to the throne in 1625. In the same year he married French Princess, Henriette Maria. Anticipating expensive tastes and concerned that his bride might persuade him to fund French wars Parliament took the precaution of withholding from Charles permission to collect for himself customs duties and other taxes. Believing in the divine right of kings Charles collected the taxes illegally. In 1629, annoyed by its complaints, Charles dismissed Parliamen