4. Personal Rule, 1629-40

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About this Lecture

Lecture

In this module, Diane discusses the period of Charles' reign known as the Personal Rule, in which he ruled without any recourse to Parliament. This module explores two related themes: first, the means by which Charles attempted to raise money in this period and the dissent he faced from certain members of the nobility; and second, his continued intervention in the affairs of the Church, which many interpreted as an attempt to re-introduce Catholicism to Britain.

Course

This course provides key historical context for John Milton's 'Paradise Lost', looking in particular at the figure of Charles I. The course is divided into nine parts. The first seven look at Charles' early years (1600-25), his early reign (1625-29), the period of Personal Rule (1629-40), his problems in Scotland (1639-40) and Ireland (1641), and the English Civil War (1642-51). The last two look at the impact of Charles' reign on Paradise Lost, as well as Milton's own politics in this period.

Lecturer

Diane Purkiss is a Professor at Keble College, Oxford. She has published two books on the English Civil War - 'The English Civil War: A People's History' (2006) and 'Literature, Gender, and Politics during the English Civil War' (2005).