A LACK OF FUNDS
As part of the agreements worked out at the time of the Restoration, there was one vital asset of the monarchy that parliament was inevitably going to control: the royal purse strings. Charles II depended on being granted funding for the business of his government, and although parliament voted to award him an annual income of around £1.2m, that figure (which was rarely ever paid in full) severely underestimated the true amount of funds that the king needed.
To make up the shortfall, a tax on the number of hearths (fireplaces) in people's households was introduced in 1662, which, in theory, taxed the rich more than the poor. But it proved a deeply unpopular move – as it meant houses could be inspected without warning – and failed to raise as much as had been hoped. Royal debts mounted as the 1660s went on, and Charles complaining of not having enough money only fuelled resentment.
In orderrevenue in 1670 thanks the secret Treaty of Dover (as opposed to the public treaty signed at the same time), in which he secured a six-figure subsidy every year from Louis XIV. But while the payments were likely helpful, their true impact on royal finances has often been Overstated.
