Thomas
Wentworth was born in London in 1593. The
son of a large Yorkshire landowner, Wentworth was knighted when he
was only eighteen.
In
1614 Wentworth was elected to the House of
Commons. He was originally critical of Charles
I and in 1626 opposed attempts by the king to impose forced loans.
In 1628 he became a Royalist and the king rewarded him by appointing
him President of the Council of the North. In this role he supported
William
Laud,
the Archbishop
of Canterbury,
and his religious reforms.
In
1632 Wentworth was appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland where he successfully
increased royal revenues. This involved him forming an alliance with
Roman
Catholics against
the Protestants.
Wentworth
was recalled to England by Charles I
in 1639 to help him deal with a troublesome House
of Commons. The following year he was granted the title, the Earl
of Strafford.
William
Laud upset the Presbyterians
in Scotland
when he insisted they had to use the English Prayer Book. Scottish
Presbyterians were furious and made it clear they were willing to
fight to protect their religion.
In 1639 the Scottish army marched on England. Charles
I, unable to
raise a strong army, was forced to agree not to interfere with religion
in Scotland. Charles also agreed to pay the Scottish war expenses.
Charles did not have the
money to pay the Scots and so he had to ask Parliament for help. This
time Parliament was determined to restrict the powers of the king.
Under the leadership
of John Pym, a law was passed which stated
that Parliament should in future meet every three years. It was also
decided to take away the king's right to dissolve Parliament. Other
laws were passed making it illegal for the king to impose his own
taxes. Parliament then passed a law that gave members control over
the king's ministers.
Wentworth was arrested
and sent to the Tower of London.
Charged with treason his trial opened on 22nd March, 1641.
The case could not be proved and so his enemies in the House
of Commons, led by John Pym and Henry
Vane, resorted to a Bill of Attainder. Charles
I gave his consent
to the Bill of Attainder and Thomas
Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, was executed on 12th May 1641.
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