1622 - Political Events

Political Events

England's James I tears out the page in the journal of the Commons bearing the Great Protestation of last December, dissolves Parliament February 8, and imprisons Sir Edward Coke, now 69, for 9 months along with John Selden, 38, earl of Southampton, and John Pym, 38. William Fiennes, 39, the 8th Lord Saye and Sele, objects to the king's imposing a benevolence and is imprisoned for 6 months (his friendship with George Villiers, 1st duke of Buckingham, will gain him the title viscount in 1624, but Fiennes will continue his opposition to the crown).

The Battle of Wiesloch in April gives Protestant forces under Peter Ernst, graf von Mansfeld II, 42, a victory over graf von Tilly's Catholic League army. Mansfeld plunders Hesse and Alsace, but Tilly triumphs a few weeks later over the margrave of Baden-Durlach, and he battles the 22-year-old soldier of fortune Christian of Brunswick June 20 at Höchst as the Thirty Years' War continues. Christian's Protestant army numbers no more than 15,000 and has only one serviceable field gun, but despite opposition from a Catholic army about twice its size, most of it manages to cross the bridge at Höchst and join up with graf von Mansfeld to create a combined force numbering 25,000.

Spanish forces under the marquis of Spinola seize Bergen op Zoom from the Dutch as hostilities resume following the end last year of the 12-year truce (see 1625).

France's Louis XIII lays siege to Montpelier. The duc de Rohan makes peace October 18 when Louis agrees to reaffirm the 1598 Edict of Nantes, but Louis forbids political meetings. He recalls Richelieu, bishop of Lucon, to the Royal Council and appoints him cardinal.

The 19-year-old Ottoman sultan Osman II pretends to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca, actually hoping to raise an army that will reform Constantinople's degenerate Janissaries. They hear of his plan, march him through the streets hurling insults, strangle him May 20, and restore the imbecilic Mustapha I (see 1623).

Persian forces take Kandahar from the Mughal Empire. With English help, they drive the Portuguese out of Hormuz on the Persian Gulf.