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1215
Magna Carta
Signed in 1215, this document was the first major treaty that protected individuals’ rights from a king. The Magna Carta has been used to argue against multiple royal institutions, such as divine right. It inspired the English Bill of Rights as well as the American Constitution, and has been regarded as a protector of individual liberties. -
Petition of Right
This petition was signed by the House of Commons after Charles I imposed “forced loans” and martial law on his subjects in order to fund his army. Anyone who resisted was fined and imprisoned. The petition was a big deal, gaining unified support from all levels of society. It also demonstrated the supremacy of the people over the king, and set a precedent for restrictions on the actions of a monarch. -
Triennial Act of 1641
This act required that Parliament be called for a 50-day session at least once every three years. It was designed to ensure that the king would not rule without Parliament. This severely limited what the king could do without the approval of Parliament. -
The Grand Remonstrance
This document, signed by the House of Commons, fiercely opposed King Charles I’s foreign, legal, financial and religious policies. This document was non-legislative, but voiced the people’s strong concerns. It argued strongly against absolutism, and advocated for more parliamentary power. It was also a major catalyst for the English Civil War. -
The Attempted Arrest
On this day, Charles I marched into Parliament and demanded the arrest of five legislators for alleged treason: John Hampden, Arthur Haselrig, Denzil Holles, John Pym and William Strode. However, this attempt failed as the MPs in Parliament stated that they were servants of Parliament, and not the King. This stopped Charles dead in his tracks, and emphasized the powers reserved to Parliament. -
The English Civil War
This was the culmination of the Monarch vs. Parliament conflict. The war resulted in a victory on the side of parliamentary forces, and saw the end of the monarchy as England had known it. After the war, Parliament was granted far greater power than it had enjoyed before. The Monarchy was eventually restored, but power was far more balanced than it had been in previous years. -
Triennial Act of 1694
This act was enacted after the English Civil War, after the previous Triennial Act of 1641 had been repealed. This piece of legislation stated that Parliament would meet annually, and hold general elections every 3 years. This dynamic political landscape limited the power of the crown to an even greater extent than the previous Triennial Act. The king now had to deal with an ever-changing Parliament and constant elections, which meant that agreement on his actions was uncertain.
