Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles
A fiery Parliamentarian whose arrest was demanded by King Charles I, sparking the slide into the English Civil War.
1599–1680 (age 81)·English politician and army officer·Birthday: October 31
Biography
Denzil Holles was a wealthy, hot-tempered aristocrat who found himself at the very center of the constitutional storm that shattered 17th-century England. As a Member of Parliament, he was a vocal critic of the king's policies, helping to draft the Petition of Right that challenged royal authority. His defiance peaked when Charles I marched into the Commons to arrest him and four others; Holles's famous retort, 'I do not know how to obey,' and their escape turned them into national symbols of Parliamentary liberty. When war came, he raised a regiment but, after a brutal defeat at Brentford, he swapped his sword for political maneuvering. Holles became the leader of the 'Peace Party,' tirelessly, and often controversially, seeking a negotiated settlement with the king, a position that eventually put him at odds with more radical factions. His life was a turbulent journey from revolutionary instigator to pragmatic negotiator, embodying the complex and shifting loyalties of England's great conflict.
#1 When Denzil Was Born
The biggest hits of 1599
Denzil's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1599Born
1604Started school
1612Became a teenager
1615Could drive
1617Could vote
1620Turned 21
1629Turned 30
1639Turned 40
1649Turned 50
1659Turned 60
1669Turned 70
1679Turned 80
1680Died at 81
Key Achievements
- Was one of the Five Members whose attempted arrest by King Charles I in January 1642 directly precipitated the First English Civil War.
- Led the Parliamentarian 'Peace Party' that consistently sought a negotiated settlement with Charles I.
- Served as an English ambassador to France after the Restoration of the monarchy.
- Was created Baron Holles of Ifield in 1661 for his services to the Crown after the monarchy's return.
Did You Know?
He was the son of John Holles, 1st Earl of Clare, and inherited significant wealth and estates.
During the arrest attempt, he is said to have asked the Speaker of the House if he should sit down or run.
After the Restoration, he was appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary to the court of Louis XIV of France.
His political writings and speeches were published and circulated widely during and after his lifetime.
“The power of the purse must remain with Parliament, not the Crown.”
