Which religious group did Charles Anger?

Charles I of England primarily angered Reformed religious groups, specifically the English Puritans and Scottish Covenanters.

These groups viewed his religious policies and his marriage to a Roman Catholic with significant mistrust and antipathy, believing his views to be overly Catholic. This perception was a major source of tension and conflict during his reign.

Understanding the Groups Angered by Charles I

The religious landscape of 17th-century Britain was complex, with deep divisions between various Christian denominations. Charles I's actions disproportionately alienated those who adhered to Reformed Protestantism, which sought to "purify" the Church of England from any remaining Catholic influences.

Key Religious Groups Angered:

• English Puritans: A broad movement within the Church of England who advocated for greater purity of worship and doctrine, seeking to remove what they considered to be vestiges of Roman Catholicism. They desired simpler, more austere forms of worship and a church structure that emphasized local congregations and preaching. Charles I's religious reforms, which seemed to lean towards more elaborate rituals and a hierarchical church structure, directly opposed their ideals.
• Scottish Covenanters: In Scotland, the Covenanters were staunch Presbyterians who had formally bound themselves by covenants to maintain the Presbyterian church and resist attempts by the monarch to impose episcopacy (governance by bishops) or any perceived Catholic practices. Charles I's efforts to align the Scottish Church more closely with the Church of England's practices, particularly through the imposition of a new Prayer Book, provoked fierce resistance and outright rebellion from this group.

Reasons for Their Antipathy:

The core of the anger stemmed from a perception that Charles I was undermining Protestantism and favoring Catholic leanings. Key factors included:

• Religious Policies: Charles I's ecclesiastical policies, often overseen by Archbishop William Laud, involved introducing more ceremonial practices into the Church of England, such as ornate altar cloths, vestments, and rituals. These were seen by Puritans and Covenanters as a move back towards Catholicism, which they had vigorously opposed since the Reformation.
• Marriage to a Roman Catholic: His marriage to Henrietta Maria of France, a devout Roman Catholic, further fueled suspicions. To many Protestants, a Catholic queen represented a direct threat to the Protestant establishment and fueled fears of a Catholic restoration in England. This personal union, combined with his religious policies, created a climate of deep mistrust among Reformed Protestants.
• Authoritarian Style: Charles I's insistence on divine right monarchy and his attempts to enforce religious uniformity through royal prerogative rather than parliamentary consent intensified the opposition from these groups, who valued religious freedom and parliamentary oversight.

Overview of Groups and Reasons

To summarize, the primary religious groups that harbored significant antipathy towards Charles I and his policies were the English Puritans and Scottish Covenanters.

The deep-seated religious grievances among these Reformed groups were a significant contributing factor to the political instability and ultimately the English Civil War during Charles I's reign.