1629 - Political Events

Political Events

England's Charles I encounters opposition in the House of Commons, where resolutions by Sir John Eliot are read while the speaker is held in his chair. The resolutions declare that anyone who advises the levy of tonnage and poundage taxes without grant of Parliament is an enemy of the kingdom and so is anyone who introduces innovations in religion or expresses opinions that disagree with those of the true Church. Authorities arrest Sir John and eight other members of Parliament March 5 (Eliot will be fined £2,000 next year and die of tuberculosis in the Tower of London 2 years later). Charles I dissolves Parliament in March; it will not meet again until 1640, and the king will rule by royal prerogative for the next 11 years.

Parliamentary leader Sir Edwin Sandys dies in Kent in October at age 67.

The Treaty of Lübeck May 22 ends hostilities between the emperor Ferdinand II and Denmark's Kristian IV, who regains his lands on condition that he abandon his allies and cease his interference in German affairs. The dukes of Mecklenburg are placed under the ban and the Austrian Albrecht von Wallenstein is confirmed as duke of Mecklenburg.

Vice admiral Piet Heyn is recalled to active duty with the rank of lieutenant admiral, given command of the Dutch Republic's entire fleet, and ordered to clear the North Sea of pirates who are in the pay of Spain's Felipe IV. His fleet destroys the pirates, but Heyn is killed in battle off Dunkirk June 18 at age 51, having planned to retire with his share of the Spanish treasure that he took last year.

Polish field commander Stanislaw Koniecpolski leads a cavalry force of 4,500 men to triumph over Sweden's Gustav II Adolf June 27 at Trzcianka (see 1628), but he faces a Cossack revolt to the south and Gustav Adolf forces him to acknowledge Sweden's dominance over the southern Baltic Sea coast in the Truce of Altmark; signed September 25, it ends hostilities between Sweden and Poland.

The Brabant fortress of Hertzogenbusch (Bois-le-Duc) falls after a long siege September 14 to Protestant forces headed by Prince Friedrich Heinrich and Bernhard, duke of Saxe-Weimar.

Transylvania's Bethlen Gábor dies November 15 at age 49 after marrying a sister-in-law of Sweden's Gustav II Adolf in hopes that the Swedes would help him obtain the Polish crown (see 1630).

Persia's Shah Abbas dies January 19 at age 72 after a 42-year reign. Two of his five sons have died, he has had two others executed and another blinded, so he is succeeded by a 13-year-old grandson, who will reign until 1642 as Safi I. The new shah has his grandfather's counselors beheaded along with most of Persia's best generals, all the blood princes, and even some of the princesses. Kandahar's Persian governor defects to the Uzbeks, who take the city and province.

The Treaty of Susa ends the Anglo-French war over Nova Scotia that began 2 years ago. The son of William Alexander has arrived with reinforcements, and the first real settlement is established, but England and France agree in the treaty to a mutual restoration of territory and shipping. Alexander is obliged to surrender Nova Scotia, and although he will be created viscount of Stirling and Lord Alexander of Tullibody next year, his Scottish settlers will be ordered to withdraw in 1631 and Alexander will be left deeply in debt.