Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 04.djvu/590

CHARLES VI. 510 CHARLES I. Poland. He was unsuccessful in the so-called War of the Polisli Succession, waged against France and Spain, in the loiirse of «hicli Don Carlos conquered the Two Sicilies in 17:U-4o. He was also worsted in a second war with the Turks, terminated by the Peace of Belgrade, in ITHO, in whidi .ustria made some cessions of territory. He died October 20. 1740. He was of a mild and benevolent disposition, but full of superstition and conservative prejudices. Consult: Mailflth, Oescliichle (lea iisUrreichisrhrn Kaiserstaates (Hamburg, 1S34 nOi : Coxe, Uistory of the Uouse of Austria (London, 1847). CHARLES VII. (1697-1745). Holy Roman Kmperor from 1742 to 1745. He was the son of Maximilian Emmanncl, Klector of Bavaria, and for some time tiovcriior of tlic Spanisli Nether- lands. After the conquest of the Bavarian ter- ritories, and the pronunciation of the ban of the Kmpire against his father by the Emperor .Joseph 1. (see article SrccEssio.N Wars), he was for some time a prisoner: but after the death of .Iospi)h, Charh's married the latter's youngest daughter, and in 172G succeede<l his father as Klector of Bavaria, as such styled Charles Albert. He refused his consent to the Pragmatic Sanc- tion (q.v.) ; and. on the death of Charles VI. in 1740. advanced a claim to the Austrian do- minions in right of his wife, and upon the further ground of a testament of Ferdinand I. At first "he was successful with the aid of the French forces, and caused himself to he pro- claimed Arch'duke of Austria at Linz and King of Bohemia at Prague. In 1742 he was elected Einjieror. The Hungarians, liowever. rose in favor of Maria Theresa, and he was driven from Austria and from Bohemia, and for a time even from his Bavarian capital. Munich. Disea.se and calami- ties combined to cause his death, January 20, 1745. "Jlisfortune." he said, "will never leave nie till I leave it." CHARLES I. (lG00-4<,t). King of England. Scotland, an<l Ireland from 1G25 to 1649.^ The second son of .lames I. of England and VI. of Scotland, he was born at Dunfermline, Xoveni- ber 19, 1600, and created Duke of Albany at his baptism, December 23. He was a deli- cate child, tongue-tied, and troubled with weak joints and ankh-s. In 1605 be was created Duke of York, and on the death of his brother Henry, Xovembor 6, 1012. became heir apparent, but was not created Prince of Wales until No- vember 3. 1616. He outgrew his physical de- fects, with the exception of a slight stutter; became a diligent theological student, an accom- plished scholar, and skillful in the s])ort,s of tilt- ing, tennis, and marksmanship. At twenty-two years of age he had developed artistic and musi- cal tastes, and was distinguished for modesty of conduct and morals. Negotiations for his mar- riage were made, first with Princess Chris- tian, sister of Louis XIII. of France, in 1613, and then with the Infanta Maria of Spain, daughter of Philip III., in 1614. In February, 1623. occurred his journey to Sjiaiii. at the sug- gestion of his favorite companion. Buckingham, who accompanied him. Unannounced, he arrived in Madrid, to the consternation of the Spanish statesmen, who had already decided against the marriage. After much duplicity on both sides, Charles rctunied to England in October, being received willi popular acclamation. Negotia- tions were broken off on religious pretexts, al- tbough the unwillingness of Philip to lielp in the restoration of Cluules's brother-in-law, Fred- erick, to the Palatinate, was the real cause. Charles aroused national enthusiasm by advo- cating war, and expressed his readiness to con- quer Spain; but his father wished for a military expedition to the Palatinate. On March 27, 1625, dames died, and Charles succeeded to the throne. To gain France as an ally, on May 1 he married, by proxy. Princess Henriette Marie of France (1609-69), receiving his bride at Canter- bury, on June 13. The national admiration was quenched by this marriage, with its accompany- ing violations of parliamentary Protestant pledges: and before a year had elapsed, Charles, hndiiig the Queen's Catholic retinue of 440 per- sons too troublesome, deported them to France. His marriage subsequently proved particularly happy. His reign, however, was doomed to failure. He was a pupjiet in the hands of his favorite, Buckingham, whom he had appointed Prime Minister in defiance of public wislies, and whose warlike schemes ended ignominionsly. Three Par- liaments, convoked in four years, were dissolved in royal exasperation at their refusal to comply with his arbitrary measures, and public feeling became embittered. The third Parliament, pre- sented the Pctilioii of r'ifiht iq.v.) in U!2S. The King temporized and conceded, then — although Buckingham's assassination had removed one cause of the contention — dissolved Parliament and caused some of the leading members to be impris- oned, one of whom. Sir .Tolin Eliot, was allowed to sicken and die in the Tower. aUliough be present- ed several petitions for a temporary release. In- Ihienced by the Queen, and with Laud and Went- worth as chief advisers. Charles governed with- out a Parliament f<u- eleven years, the despotic Star Chamber and High Commission courts giving semblance of legal sanction to forced loans, poundage, tonnage, sliip money, and other extraordinary measures to meet goveriimentjil expenses. Republican principles developed and expanded, toward which Charles opposed a policy of severe repression. His attempt to impose Episcopacy provoked the Scotch to restore Pres- byterianism, and to adopt the Solemn I>eague and Covenant, February 28, 1638. In 1639 Charles assembled an army to enforce his will : the Cove- nanters retaliated and advanced to the Border. I'nable to proceed without supplies, in 1640 Charles summoned the 'Short Parliament.' which he dissolved in three weeks, as the members re- fused to listen to his demands, but drew up a statement of public grievances, demanded an in- (juiry into Eliot's death, and insisted on peace with Scotland. Obtaining money by irregular means, Charles advanced against the Scots, who crossed the Border and defeated his army at New- burn-uj)on-Tyne, and soon afterwards occupied Newcastle and Durliam. everywhere receiving popular sympathy and support. His money ex- hausted, the King was compelled to call the 'Long Parliament,' which met November 3, 1640. Led by the ripe, sagaciou-, and dauntless Pym, it proceeded to redress grievances, and showed its resolution hy impeaching and imprisoning the instigators of royal despotism — Laud, and Went- worth, who had been created Earl of Stratford. The King tried to save Strafford by bribery; ■ then consented to a plot to overawe Parlia- ment by military force, which being discovered,