Thomas Wentworth, 1593-1641

One of King Charles' ablest and most influential advisors, he became a scapegoat for Parliament's grievances and was finally deserted by the King.

Born in London, the son of Sir William Wentworth, of Wentworth Woodhouse, near Rotherham, a member of an old Yorkshire family, and of Anne, daughter of Sir Robert Atkins of Stowell, Gloucestershire. He was educated at St John's College, Cambridge and became a law student at the Inner Temple in 1607. After travelling in Europe, Wentworth came to Court In 1611. He was knighted by King James and married Margaret Clifford, daughter of the Earl of Cumberland. Wentworth was regularly elected to Parliament from 1614 onwards. He became prominent in opposition to the King and was critical of the Duke of Buckingham. King Charles appointed him Sheriff of Yorkshire in an attempt to exclude him from the Parliament of 1626, but Wentworth continued his opposition. Like John Hampden and others, he was imprisoned for refusing to pay the forced loans demanded by the King in 1627.

In the Parliament of 1628, Wentworth argued for a moderate version of the Petition of Right, and lost influence when Sir John Eliot and Sir Edward Coke succeeded in carrying their more severe form of the petition. After Buckingham's assassination in 1628, King Charles sought Wentworth's allegiance by making him a baronet and appointing him President of the Council of the North. He became increasingly prominent on the Irish committee of the Privy Council and in 1632 was appointed Lord-Deputy of Ireland.

With Archbishop Laud, Wentworth evolved the policy known as "Thorough" by which they managed the administration of Church and State during the eleven years of King Charles' personal rule without a Parliament — sometimes called the "Eleven Years' Tyranny". Wentworth systematically applied this policy in Ireland: clearing the sea of pirates, bolstering trade and industry, beginning a reorganisation of the Irish Church and enforcing financial reforms that doubled Ireland's revenue. However, his methods were ruthless and despotic; England's interests were always his priority. He alienated the "Old English" aristocracy in Ireland by promoting the interests of the English and Scottish settlers, then alienated the settlers by seizing lands in Ulster for the Crown and by enforcing Laud's religious policies.

After King Charles' humiliation by the Scots in the First Bishops' War of 1639, Wentworth was recalled to England as chief advisor to the King and created Earl of Strafford. Charles was determined to continue the wars against Scotland. In 1640, Strafford advised him to summon a Parliament in order to raise funds. Though willing to grant subsidies, the Short Parliament would only do so on condition that their many grievances in Church and State policy were addressed. Strafford advised the King to be patient, but Charles abruptly dissolved Parliament in May 1640 and raised an army against the Scots by other means. The newly-mustered English army, untrained and badly disciplined, was easily defeated in the Second Bishops' War. The expense of having to maintain a Scottish army of occupation in Northumberland and Durham forced the King to call the Long Parliament in November 1640.

At the instigation of John Pym and other opposition MPs, one of Parliament's first actions was to call for the impeachment of Strafford. The case against him hinged upon a dubious accusation that he had advised the King to use Irish troops against his opponents in England. Strafford's trial opened on 22 March 1641. He defended himself so well that his alleged treason could not legally be proved. Pym and his supporters therefore resorted to a Bill of Attainder. After anguished hesitation, Charles gave way to the clamour for Strafford's execution and gave his consent to the Bill. Strafford was beheaded to great popular rejoicing on 12 May 1641.

The King's betrayal of Strafford remained on his conscience. He came to believe that his own sufferings during the Civil Wars were a just punishment for his sin in letting Strafford die. It was certainly a grave political mistake, since Strafford was the ablest and cleverest of all the King's advisors.



	Thomas Wentworth, 1593-1641 One of King Charles' ablest and most influential advisors, he became a scapegoat for Parliament's grievances and was finally deserted by the King. Born in London, the son of Sir William Wentworth, of Wentworth Woodhouse, near Rotherham, a member of an old Yorkshire family, and of Anne, daughter of Sir Robert Atkins of Stowell, Gloucestershire. He was educated at St John's College, Cambridge and became a law student at the Inner Temple in 1607. After travelling in Europe, Wentworth came to Court In 1611. He was knighted by King James and married Margaret Clifford, daughter of the Earl of Cumberland. Wentworth was regularly elected to Parliament from 1614 onwards. He became prominent in opposition to the King and was critical of the Duke of Buckingham. King Charles appointed him Sheriff of Yorkshire in an attempt to exclude him from the Parliament of 1626, but Wentworth continued his opposition. Like John Hampden and others, he was imprisoned for refusing to pay the forced loans demanded by the King in 1627. In the Parliament of 1628, Wentworth argued for a moderate version of the Petition of Right, and lost influence when Sir John Eliot and Sir Edward Coke succeeded in carrying their more severe form of the petition. After Buckingham's assassination in 1628, King Charles sought Wentworth's allegiance by making him a baronet and appointing him President of the Council of the North. He became increasingly prominent on the Irish committee of the Privy Council and in 1632 was appointed Lord-Deputy of Ireland. With Archbishop Laud, Wentworth evolved the policy known as "Thorough" by which they managed the administration of Church and State during the eleven years of King Charles' personal rule without a Parliament — sometimes called the "Eleven Years' Tyranny". Wentworth systematically applied this policy in Ireland: clearing the sea of pirates, bolstering trade and industry, beginning a reorganisation of the Irish Church and enforcing financial reforms that doubled Ireland's revenue. However, his methods were ruthless and despotic; England's interests were always his priority. He alienated the "Old English" aristocracy in Ireland by promoting the interests of the English and Scottish settlers, then alienated the settlers by seizing lands in Ulster for the Crown and by enforcing Laud's religious policies. After King Charles' humiliation by the Scots in the First Bishops' War of 1639, Wentworth was recalled to England as chief advisor to the King and created Earl of Strafford. Charles was determined to continue the wars against Scotland. In 1640, Strafford advised him to summon a Parliament in order to raise funds. Though willing to grant subsidies, the Short Parliament would only do so on condition that their many grievances in Church and State policy were addressed. Strafford advised the King to be patient, but Charles abruptly dissolved Parliament in May 1640 and raised an army against the Scots by other means. The newly-mustered English army, untrained and badly disciplined, was easily defeated in the Second Bishops' War. The expense of having to maintain a Scottish army of occupation in Northumberland and Durham forced the King to call the Long Parliament in November 1640. At the instigation of John Pym and other opposition MPs, one of Parliament's first actions was to call for the impeachment of Strafford. The case against him hinged upon a dubious accusation that he had advised the King to use Irish troops against his opponents in England. Strafford's trial opened on 22 March 1641. He defended himself so well that his alleged treason could not legally be proved. Pym and his supporters therefore resorted to a Bill of Attainder. After anguished hesitation, Charles gave way to the clamour for Strafford's execution and gave his consent to the Bill. Strafford was beheaded to great popular rejoicing on 12 May 1641. The King's betrayal of Strafford remained on his conscience. He came to believe that his own sufferings during the Civil Wars were a just punishment for his sin in letting Strafford die. It was certainly a grave political mistake, since Strafford was the ablest and cleverest of all the King's advisors.