On this day in 1642, during the sitting of the Long Parliament, Charles I sent approximately 400 armed soldiers in to arrest “The Five Members”. Charles I believed that these five members of the House of Commons had vehemently encouraged the Scots to invade England, and that they were trying to turn the people against him. However, these five men were not in the House of Commons at the time (having been forewarned of what may happen) and so Charles failed in his endeavour. Charles called for the men to be given up to him, but the city officers declared their support for Parliament and refused to help. Rumours spread through London that the King’s supporters were going to attack the city – approximately 6000 people came out in to barricade and defend the city.
Charles I had lost the support of the people of London, and his act of attempting to arrest the five members pushed Parliament to issuing a Militia Bill and beginning the first English Civil War.
If you’d like to find out more about Charles I or the other Kings and Queens of England, why not book a private history tour with us? Our fully qualified tour guides have all the grisly, gruesome details about the history of London that you never knew you needed to know! Our sightseeing tours are conducted in a state of the art London black cab – so don’t delay, enquire and book your tour today!
#london #blacktaxilondon #thingstodo #thingstodoinlondon #sightseeing #sightseeingtourslondon #historytours #travel #toursoflondon #londonblackcab #visitlondon