7 Steps to Limited Monarchy

First English Parliament

1215

While the English Parliament was technically founded in 1215, it truly became powerful in 1265. This was the years that the two houses of Parliament formed, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The Parliament had originally been made to help the monarch but they would soon be able to overthrow the absolute monarchy and have more equal representation within the government.

Magna Carta

Jun 15, 1215

This was one of the first steps toward a limited monarchy. King John of England was forced to sign this document which stated individual rights and limited the monarchy. The document did not show many immediate effects but would become more prominent during events like the English Civil War and other battled for power.

The Petition of Right

Jun 7, 1628

This document was written by Parliament in response to King Charles I and his abuse of power. It stated the rights of the people and that they can't be detained for such rights. Some of these rights included the power of the people to donate money to the royalty only if they wanted to, people couldn't be forced to house soldiers, and the idea of innocent until proven guilty. This lessened the absolute monarchy and gave more power to the people and Parliament.

English Civil War

Aug 22, 1642

This war began due to King Charles I completely ignoring the Parliament's rulings. There had been many disputes between Charles I and Parliament before hand and this conflict was pretty much the last straw in converting to limited powers. There were supporters for both sides, and this showed how the absolute monarchy was losing power.

Execution of King Charles I

Jan 30, 1649

After the English Civil War, Parliament called for the execution of King Charles I, who had been an absolute monarch. This event helped to expand Parliament's power and showed that kings could be tried by Parliament, which had never happened before. The people now knew that kings were unquestionable and that they could be overpowered, giving them the incentive to make a limited government.

Glorious Revolution

Nov 1, 1688

The Glorious Revolution is considered to be one of the most important event to cause a change in English government. During this revolution, Parliament was able to overthrow King James II, who was an absolute monarch, and replace him with William and Mary. This couple led to the collaboration of English monarchs and Parliament in controlling the government and people.

English Bill of Rights

Dec 16, 1689

This Bill was signed by William and Mary and greatly limited their powers. The document gave the people more rights and prevented royal control over certain topics such as taxation, petitioning against leaders, and bear arms. This also concluded that the monarchs had to work with Parliament to be successful.