John Pym
John Pym (* 1584 in Cannington , Somerset ; † December 8, 1643 ) was a lawyer and spokesman for the parliamentary party in the English lower house at the time of Charles I.
Pym studied at Pembroke College at Oxford and was first elected to the English House of Commons in 1614. As a Puritan , he opposed the policies of Charles I and his adviser, the Anglican Bishop William Laud .
When Charles I wanted to introduce Anglican customs into the Church of Scotland too, the Scots rose up. Charles I needed funds for the campaign, which the House of Commons should approve. At Pym's instigation, however, the House of Commons passed the Great Remonstrance in November 1641, a letter of appeal against the government of King Charles, which for the first time demanded parliamentary powers of control over the government. In addition, Pym demanded that the king had to convene parliament at least every three years and only be allowed to raise taxes with its consent.
The king appeared in person on January 4, 1642, with an armed guard in the lower house to arrest Pym, who had already fled. The king's actions triggered the English Civil War in the spring of 1642. Pym, who died the following year, no longer played a decisive role in the conflict.
Web links
- Biography of John Pym (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Pym, John |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Leader of the parliamentary party in the English lower house at the time of Charles I. |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1584 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Cannington , Somerset |
| DATE OF DEATH | December 8, 1643 |