Cabal

After the dissolution of the Clarendon Ministry in 1667, the government under Charles II was made up of a group of five members of the Privy Council ( Baron K Lifford , Baron E marched , Duke B Ekingham , Count A Rlington and Duke L Oderdale ), which became known as the “Ministry of Cabal” or “Ministry of Intrigue”, (“cabal” means “intrigue, conspiracy”, the initial letters of the titles of ministers formed this word).

How can a state flourish,

When governed by these five:

English dog, stupid ram,

Mole, devil and boar? ^[one]

This group has formed a committee of the Council on Foreign Affairs. Through this committee and their own institutions, these five were able to control state policy at home and abroad. The concept of an organized group in government, as opposed to absolutist royal power, was perceived by many as a threat to the authority of the throne. Others saw it undermining parliamentary power, since Buckingham’s close relationship with the king made the Ministry of Intrigue unpopular with some reformers. The name Cabal ("intrigue") was perceived as a consequence of the conspiracy that caused the fall and prosecution of Clarendon, and in the more and more secretive behavior of the government. However, between these five people, there were sharp ideological differences, from the parliamentary idealism of Ashley to the autocratic absolutism of Lauderdale.

The only title of Buckingham was the royal stallmeister with the duty of supervising the preparation of the king for the journey; but he was in constant contact with the monarch and the central figure in the struggle of the “Ministry of Cabal” for power. Meanwhile, Arlington and Lauderdale for several years, retained two of the three ministries, despite the objections of Clarendon. Lauderdale now had even greater freedom of action in Scottish affairs and increased his influence at court, while Arlington took the lead in international affairs. Although the Duke of Albermeil was the first Lord of the Treasury until his death in 1670, he retired and financial issues were left to three Commissioners: Chancellor of the Treasury Lord Ashley, Household Trustee Sir Thomas Clifford and Representative Ashley in Treasury Sir John Duncombe . The role of Lord Chancellor was initially taken by Sir Orlando Bridgeman .

The Union of the Five began to break up in 1672, when the Royal Declaration of Religious Tolerance , the financing of the Third Anglo-Dutch War and the policies of Anglo-French relations were affirmed. Between Buckingham and Arlington, personal rivalry and conflict over foreign policy have escalated. The ministry has become very unpopular, marked by arbitrariness. By the end of the year, Ashley, now Earl of Shaftesbury, became Lord Chancellor, handing over the treasury to Clifford and Duncombe. He publicly pushed for radical reform of the government, taking the side of the opposition against his colleagues and the king. Because of the struggle, Clifford resigned and retired from public life. Shaftesbury was replaced by Thomas Osbourne , who soon, in the summer of 1673, became Count Danby and immediately approved his authority over the remaining members of the “Ministry of Cabal”. The feud of Buckingham with Arlington led to a leak of information from the secret Dover Treaty , in 1674, Buckingham fell out of favor. Arlington remained the “Southern Secretary” until September. Lauderdale retained its position and autonomous power in Scotland , becoming the enemy of Shaftesbury. Shaftesbury began to agitate against the king and his brother, the duke of York, the future king Jacob II ; he briefly returned to the government Privy Council and took the lead in forming a political group that would eventually become known as the Whig Party.

• Deryuzhinsky V.F. Cabal // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron : in 86 tons (82 tons and 4 extra). - SPb. , 1890-1907.

• Board of Charles II
• E. B. Chernyak “Five Centuries of a Secret War”