Thomas Wentworth, 1st earl of Strafford, (born April 13, 1593, London, Eng.—died May 12, 1641, London), English politician and leading adviser to Charles I. Although an outspoken member of the opposition, he switched his support to the crown when offered a barony in 1628. As lord president of the north (1628–33), he quelled defiance to the crown. As lord deputy of Ireland (1633–39), he consolidated the royal authority, extended English settlement, reformed the administration, and increased revenues for the crown. He was recalled to command Charles’s army against a Scottish revolt, but the costly war was opposed by the Long Parliament; as a target representing the king’s authority, he was impeached by the Parliament in 1640. Strafford was accused of subverting the laws (he had offered to bring over the Irish army to subdue the king’s opponents in England); when it looked as though he might be acquitted, John Pym, the leader of the House of Commons, had a bill of attainder passed that condemned Strafford to death. Strafford released the king from his promise of protection, and Charles gave his consent to the bill. Strafford was subsequently beheaded in the presence of an immense and jubilant crowd.
Thomas Wentworth, 1st earl of Strafford Article
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Charles I Summary
Charles I was the king of Great Britain and Ireland (1625–49), whose authoritarian rule and quarrels with Parliament provoked a civil war that led to his execution. Charles was the second surviving son of James VI of Scotland and Anne of Denmark. He was a sickly child, and, when his father became
government Summary
Government, the political system by which a country or community is administered and regulated. Most of the key words commonly used to describe governments—words such as monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy—are of Greek or Roman origin. They have been current for more than 2,000 years and have not
England Summary
England, predominant constituent unit of the United Kingdom, occupying more than half of the island of Great Britain. Outside the British Isles, England is often erroneously considered synonymous with the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) and even with the entire United
Ireland Summary
Ireland, country of western Europe occupying five-sixths of the westernmost major island of the British Isles. The magnificent scenery of Ireland’s Atlantic coastline faces a 2,000-mile- (3,200-km-) wide expanse of ocean, and its geographic isolation has helped it to develop a rich heritage of