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1215
Magna Carta
Tied kings to the law and gave nobility rights, such as not to be fined or jailed unlawfully. Parliament strengthened its power to approve taxes. -
Period: to
Long Parliament
Angry with Charles I's curtailing of its power, Parliament reasserted its right to approve taxes and be a permanent body that the king had to consult. It would continue to challenge and be challenged by him. -
Second English Civil War
Cromwell's revolution succeeded in making England a republic (nominal, shown by his authoritarian actions as Lord Protector). He had Charles executed. Parliament abolished the monarchy. -
The Test Act
Parliament passed the Test Act, which effectively prevented Catholics from serving in civil and military positions. This exacerbated Parliament's Protestant tension against the Catholic monarchy and helped fuel riots against the monarchy. When James II became king, this was the act that he demanded be repealed; this was the act that caused him to disband Parliament. -
Glorious Revolution
Parliament committed treason by inviting William the Orange to oust James II. It proclaimed him England's new monarch. This set a blatant precedent for English monarchs needing the consent of Parliament to rule. -
English Bill of Rights
William recognized the Bill of Rights. It codified substantial rights for Parliament, most fundamentally that monarchs must rule by its consent. -
Period: to
Sir Robert Walpole's "reign"
Sir Robert Walpole stabilized Great Britain when George I struggled to (picture shows his portrait on right and George's on the left; they are almost identical). Walpole helped Britain amass international power, deriving his legitimacy from Parliament support. His important role demonstrates the minimized influence of monarchs in England's developed limited monarchy in conducting international affairs.