The Earl of Clarendon, 1660–67 (AQA A-Level History): Revision Notes
The Earl of Clarendon, 1660–67
Edward Hyde, first Earl of Clarendon, served both Charles I and Charles II with notable dedication. His considerable experience and measured approach to governance offered reassurance to those who feared harsh retribution following the Restoration. For the initial seven years of Charles II's reign, Clarendon functioned as the King's chief adviser, but by 1667 political circumstances forced him into exile.
Clarendon's position and influence
At the Restoration in 1660, Clarendon received the title of Lord High Chancellor of England, making him Charles II's principal minister. Though the Clarendon Code carries his name, suggesting he championed an intolerant religious settlement, the reality proved more complex.
While the Clarendon Code bears his name, Clarendon himself actually favoured a more moderate religious policy. He found himself unable to prevent Parliament from imposing stricter measures against religious nonconformity, demonstrating the complex relationship between the Crown's chief minister and parliamentary authority during this period.
Clarendon brought substantial political experience to his role. He had witnessed the descent into civil war during the 1640s and spent years in exile with the royal court. This background shaped his cautious, conservative approach to governing the restored monarchy. He understood the dangers of religious extremism and attempted to steer a middle course between vengeful royalism and parliamentary radicalism.
The fall of the Earl of Clarendon
Background to the Second Anglo-Dutch War, 1664–67
By 1664, a growing consensus emerged among the King, Parliament and the Court that war with the Dutch Republic was both necessary and desirable. Young courtiers surrounding Charles II were anxious to prove their military worth. Contemporary attitudes viewed warfare as an acceptable demonstration of kingship, and a monarch was expected to defend his kingdom's honour and interests through military action. By 1664, Charles II felt sufficiently secure on his throne to risk the disruption of war, possibly believing that conflict with the Dutch would strengthen domestic loyalty to the Crown.
Commercial considerations provided the primary motivation for war. England and the Dutch Republic had developed intense trading rivalries dating back to the early seventeenth century. New opportunities in the Far East heightened these tensions. In early 1664, the House of Commons, encouraged by the East India Company, formally endorsed war with the Dutch. Influential figures such as James, Duke of York, Thomas Clifford and others among the King's advisers strongly advocated for military action.
The circumstances surrounding the outbreak of war contained considerable irony. Clarendon, who would ultimately lose his position because of the war, had actually attempted to prevent it. He understood the Crown's financial weakness and disagreed with other Privy Council members about the wisdom of entering into conflict. However, Charles II proved receptive to the arguments of those favouring war, and Clarendon's caution went unheeded.
The military narrative of the war
The conflict appeared to begin favourably for England. In June 1665, English forces secured a substantial victory at the Battle of Lowestoft. Parliament soon became critical of how the war was being conducted, however. In August 1665, English ships attempted to attack a Dutch merchant fleet in the neutral port of Bergen. Early in 1666, France and Denmark formed an alliance with the Dutch against England. The appearance of a large French fleet in the Channel prompted English commanders, Prince Rupert and the Duke of Albemarle, to divide their forces.
The Four Days' Battle of June 1666 proved disastrous for England. Ten English ships were sunk, resulting in the loss of 4,250 men, including two admirals. Parliament attributed these losses to government corruption and poor administration of the navy.
Clarendon's difficulties were compounded by two catastrophic events that coincided with the Dutch War: the Great Plague of 1665 and the Fire of London in 1666. The plague caused approximately 70,000 deaths in 1665, though actual mortality figures remain uncertain. The Fire of London, whilst less deadly in immediate human terms, proved economically devastating.
Over five days in September, fire destroyed the heart of the City of London, including St Paul's Cathedral, 89 churches and over 13,000 houses. Speculation that the Dutch had deliberately started the fire contributed to criticism of government management. The destruction led to a decline in Crown revenue, which prompted parliamentary investigations into alleged maladministration of the navy board.
The Dutch raid on the Medway
Early in 1667, Charles II initiated peace negotiations. Anticipating a successful outcome, the Crown diverted funds from naval expenditure to settle earlier debts. Some ships' crews received their wages and shore leave, whilst naval dockyards were neglected.
In June 1667, Dutch Admiral de Ruyter launched a bold raid up the Medway to attack the royal dockyards at Chatham. Charles's ministers could only observe helplessly as the Dutch fleet captured the shore batteries protecting the naval base, burned numerous ships and towed away the Royal Charles, the English flagship. This humiliating defeat became one of the most devastating blows to English naval prestige in history.
Parliament directed blame at Clarendon, providing his enemies at court with an opportunity to challenge him. Buckingham, Arlington and Sir William Coventry led the attack. Clarendon managed to negotiate an end to the war through the hastily concluded Treaty of Breda, by which England acquired New York and New Jersey. These territorial gains did not, however, compensate for the humiliation of the Medway raid or prevent Clarendon's downfall.
Key dates of the Second Anglo-Dutch War
1665
- February: Parliament granted £2.5 million for the war
- June: Battle of Lowestoft secured English victory
- August: Failed English attack on Dutch fleet at Bergen
- October: Parliament granted additional £1.25 million
- Autumn: Great Plague claimed approximately 70,000 lives
1666
- France and Denmark joined the war against England
- June: Four Days' Battle resulted in heavy English losses
- September: Fire of London destroyed much of the City; House of Commons investigated corruption among naval officials; Parliament granted further £1.8 million
1667
- January: Introduction of Supply Bill requiring parliamentary examination of public accounts
- May: Spanish Netherlands overrun by French forces
- June: Dutch raid on the Medway
- July: Treaty of Breda concluded the war
- August: Clarendon resigned
- October: Clarendon fled to France to avoid impeachment proceedings
Other factors contributing to Clarendon's downfall
By 1667, Charles II had grown weary of Clarendon. The King disapproved of his chief minister's attitude towards royal mistresses (contrasting sharply with Charles I's behaviour) and held him responsible for the growth of opposition in Parliament and at Court. Several issues converged in 1667 to weaken Clarendon's position before the Dutch War conclusively sealed his fate.
Parliamentary management failure: Clarendon proved unable to manage Parliament effectively. The development of opposition may have been unavoidable, but as Charles's chief minister, Clarendon bore responsibility for this failure. His inability to prevent the Dutch War demonstrated his declining influence.
Clarendon's manner appeared arrogant and self-righteous. He presented himself as the 'older, wiser' figure attempting to guide a King who was himself maturing and gaining confidence. These characteristics alienated the Privy Council, with Clarendon already losing influence by 1665. His failure to prevent the Dutch War illustrated this diminished authority.
Jealousy and political rivalry: Though not as intense as the rivalry between Clarendon and the Duke of Buckingham during the 1620s, resentment of Clarendon's hold on power blocked the advancement of ambitious younger courtiers who sympathised with the King's youth and conduct. These figures sought to displace the ageing chief minister.
Nepotism and family connections: Clarendon's daughter, Anne Hyde, had married James, Duke of York, the heir to the throne. This connection exposed Clarendon to accusations of self-aggrandisement. Normally, the heir would be expected to marry foreign royalty, not the daughter of an English minister. This alliance made Clarendon vulnerable to charges that he sought to advance his own family interests.
The King's marriage: Charles II's marriage to the Portuguese Catherine of Braganza proved problematic. The King treated his wife with respect and kindness, but widespread knowledge at court indicated he found her boring. The fact that Charles and Catherine remained childless reflected poorly on Clarendon, who had negotiated the marriage arrangements.
Clarendon's departure from office
When the moment arrived, Clarendon's removal proved swift and brutal. Under pressure from the King, he resigned in August 1667. His opponents, however, desired more than resignation; they wanted him impeached on charges of treason, which carried the death penalty. Perhaps recalling the fate of the Earl of Strafford in 1641, the House of Lords refused to imprison Clarendon in the Tower. His enemies then attempted to establish a special court of Lords to prosecute him.
Charles II's decisive action determined Clarendon's fate: the King refused to intervene on his behalf. After 26 years of loyal service to the Crown, Clarendon voluntarily went into exile in France, where he died five years later.
Historical interpretation of Charles II's abandonment of Clarendon remains contested. Clarendon himself, when writing about the early years of Charles I's reign, expressed the view that the King should have prevented Buckingham's impeachment in 1626. We might reasonably credit Charles II with learning from his father's errors. Nonetheless, Charles II's treatment of a faithful servant foreshadowed future patterns of behaviour. Most historians assess his abandonment of Clarendon as shabby and unprincipled.
Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon
Background and early career: Edward Hyde represented Saltash, Devon in both the Short and Long Parliaments. Initially, he supported Parliament's attempts to curtail Charles I's Personal Rule. During the autumn of 1641, however, he shifted to support the King's position against John Pym's demands for restrictions on royal prerogatives.
Civil War and exile: When civil war erupted in 1642, Hyde became a moderate Royalist who continued working towards reconciliation between King and Parliament. The 1643 Falkland affair weakened his influence with Charles I, who began listening to more extreme Cavalier advisers like the Catholic George Digby, who advocated complete military victory. Following the Royalists' defeat in 1646, Hyde went into exile. After Charles I's execution in 1649, Clarendon served as Charles Stuart's adviser-in-exile, for which service he later received his title.
Lord High Chancellor: At the Restoration in 1660, Hyde became Lord High Chancellor of England, serving as the King's chief minister for seven years until his political downfall in 1667.
Historical writings: Clarendon wrote the first comprehensive history of the English Revolution, entitled The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, at Charles I's request. Though not published until 1702, this history proved invaluable. Clarendon demonstrated willingness to criticise Charles I's decisions, which lent credibility to his historical judgements. This work remains an important primary source for understanding the period.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Clarendon served as Charles II's chief minister from 1660 to 1667, bringing experience and moderation to the early Restoration government.
- The Second Anglo-Dutch War (1664-67) provided the primary cause of Clarendon's downfall, though he had opposed entering the conflict due to financial concerns.
- The war produced several disasters for England: the Four Days' Battle (June 1666), the Great Plague (1665), the Fire of London (1666), and the humiliating Dutch raid on the Medway (June 1667).
- Additional factors weakened Clarendon's position: his failure to manage Parliament effectively, his arrogant personality, jealousy from younger courtiers, nepotism through his daughter's marriage to the Duke of York, and the King's problematic marriage to Catherine of Braganza.
- Charles II refused to protect Clarendon from impeachment proceedings, forcing him into voluntary exile in France in August 1667 after 26 years of loyal service to the Stuart cause.