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Jun 15, 1215
Signing of the Magna Carta
King John of England was forced to sign the Magna Carta in 1215 after a rebellious army led by the nobility of England captured London. This document limited the power of kings. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John,_King_of_England.jpg -
Battle of Newburn
King Charles' defeat in this battle against the Scottish during the Bishops' Wars forced him to summon the Long Parliament which would work to limit the king's power. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Book_of_common_prayer_1549.jpg -
Execution of Charles I
The execution of Charles I and end of the English Civil War led to the establishment of republican government in England in the form of the Long Parliament. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Execution_of_Charles_I.jpg -
Cromwell as Lord Protector
Cromwell is made Lord Protector of England. His Puritanical reign was unpopular as was his successor, Richard Cromwell, his son. This unpopularity and the unrest of the Commonwealth of England which briefly followed Richard Cromwell's short reign led to the Restoration of Charles II. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oliver_cromwell_imrpisoning_king_charles_I.jpg -
Period: to
The Popish Plot
The Popish Plot was devised by Titus Oates and was a ficticious claim that the Catholic Church in England was plotting the assasination of King Charles II in order for his Catholic brother James to inherit the throne. This plot led to extreme anti-Catholic hysteria and the Exclusion Crisis. -
Birth of James Francis Edward Stuart
The birth of a Roman Catholic heir to the throne caused worries among many during the reign of Catholic James II and led to the Letter of Invitation. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prince_James_Edward_Stuart,_the_Old_Pretender.png -
Invitation to William
The Letter of Invitation was sent to William of Orange following the birth of a Roman Catholic heir to the throne. This Letter invited the Protestant William of Orange to seize the throne of England with the support of Parliament. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:King_William_III.jpg
