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Petition of Right
The Petition of Right was a document that required loans and taxation to be approved by Parliament, prevented imprisonment without a good reason, and decreed that soldiers could not be kept in private homes of others. While this petition could potentially be disobeyed by the monarchy, Charles I agreed to it, essentially taking away these rights from himself, which reduced the extent of his power. -
The English Civil War
Parliament took measures against Charles I, and began a war that divided England into two factions, one backing Parliament, and the other backing the crown. This civil war ended with a Parliamentary victory and the execution of Charles I, which put Parliament into a good situation when it came to the power struggle between legislators and the monarch. -
Solemn League and Covenant
The Scots agreed to support the English Parliament, and both countries promised to work together for unification in the future. The Solemn League and Covenant contributed to the Parliament's victory in the English Civil War, the outcome of which placed limits upon the power of the crown and established Oliver Cromwell as a powerful figure. -
Oliver Cromwell Seizes Power
In the long-term, Oliver Cromwell's reign was both preceded and followed by the rule of a monarch. However, while Cromwell ruled, he essentially was also an absolute, strict, and harsh ruler. This took away from the monarchy's power because it was one of the first examples of English rule by a person who was not part of the royal family. -
Declaration of Indulgence
Charles II suspended all laws against Roman Catholics, which brought backlash from Parliament to the extent that the Declaration had to be revoked. This revocation spoke to the growing influence of Parliament on religion, meaning that the monarchy would no longer have absolute religious control. -
The Test Act
The Test Act forced all civil and military officials to swear a religious oath against the Catholic belief of transubstantiation. This was targeted at the heir to the throne and took even more religious authority away from the crown. -
The Glorious Revolution
William III and Mary II overthrew James II and signed the English Bill of Rights. This document made English monarchs subject to laws and established the regular meeting of Parliament. Many view this event as the "nail in the coffin", meaning that this was one of the final steps in abolishing the absolutist monarchy in England.
