Impeachment of the Earl of Strafford

Historical Context Note

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Thomas Wentworth was one of the most trusted of King Charles I's advisors, and his power peaked in January 1640, when he was appointed as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland (with the power to govern it in Charles' absence) and created First Earl of Strafford. However, this zenith was not long lasting. He became heavily unpopular with the Irish as a result of his brutal approach, gaining the nickname 'Black Tom Tyrant'. When the Long Parliament opened in November 1640, it quickly instigated impeachment proceedings against him. The court case was eventually unsuccessful, but Parliament responded by passing a bill of attainder, effectively declaring him guilty without trial. Charles recognised that in allowing Stafford's execution, he was losing an important ally and betraying a loyal follower, but…

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2204 Impeachment of the Earl of Strafford 2 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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