Charles I of England was able to raise funds without the approval of Parliament for how long?

Okay, let's talk about Charles I and why he managed to rule without Parliament for 11 years. To understand this, we need to go back to the 17th century. Charles I believed in the Divine Right of Kings, meaning he thought God had appointed him to rule and he didn't need to answer to anyone, including Parliament. Now, Parliament controlled the country's finances, and traditionally, the monarch needed their approval to raise taxes. Charles and Parliament clashed repeatedly over money and religious policies. Eventually, things got so bad that Charles decided to dissolve Parliament in 1629. For the next 11 years, he ruled without them, a period known as the "Personal Rule" or the "Eleven Years' Tyranny" by his opponents. He raised money through some pretty unpopular methods, like reviving old feudal taxes. This period of personal rule ended in 1640 when Charles needed funds to deal with rebellions in Scotland and was forced to recall Parliament. This eventually led to the English Civil War. So, the key takeaway is that Charles I managed to bypass Parliament and rule independently for a significant 11-year stretch, a pivotal moment in British history that ultimately contributed to the struggle between the Crown and Parliament.