What Were the Causes of the English Civil War?

The English Civil War broke out upon the establishment of James I (or James VI of Scotland) to the English crown. James was a philosopher of royal absolutism and sought to breathe life into his ideals by establishing what he dubbed a "free" monarchy over all of England. This "free" monarchy was in reference to the king's absolute power being free of any outside influence or control by the Parliament, the Church, or any previous customary laws--basically, the king inherited his divine right to rule from God, and therefore was responsible only to God, and the king had every right to choose the course he felt best for his subjects. …