History of Limited Monarchy in England

By rachael.marseglia
  • 1215

    Signing of the Magna Carta

    Signing of the Magna Carta
    King John of England signed the Magna Carta in 1215. This limited the monarch's powers, causing kings to begin calling upon Parliament to enact and enforce laws. This marked the beginning of limited monarchy in England due to the sharing of power between the monarch and Parliament.

  • Union of Crowns

    Union of Crowns
    In 1603, James VI of Scotland became James I of England, creating a unionized throne. The two countries remained separate, however, simply sharing a monarch, so power still was not absolute.

  • The Commonwealth

    The Commonwealth
    Charles I was executed after the conclusion of the Civil War in England, leading to a brief period of republic rule in England from 1649 to 1653. Power was shared between the Rump Parliament and the Council of State. This created a sharing of powers that did not even include a monarch, foreshadowing to the limited monarchy to come.

  • The Protectorate

    The Protectorate
    In 1653 the Rump Parliament dissolved, and the Army Council made Oliver Cromwell the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth. He ruled over England, Ireland, and Scotland, but the countries were not united as one. This seemed to provide a step towards an absolute monarchy, but it only lasted for a short six years.

  • Restoration of the Monarchy

    Restoration of the Monarchy
    In 1659, the Protectorate Parliament dissolved because a stable government failed to be formed during the republic phase. The Rump Parliament reformed with Charles II as King, showing the resilience of the limited monarchy in England.

  • Creation of the United Kingdom

    Creation of the United Kingdom
    In 1707, Scotland and England merged to create Great Britain. In 1801, Ireland joins this union to create the United Kingdom. The monarch of the UK ruled over England’s numerous territories, but it was only a union of states, not a rule of absolute power. This showed that even when all the territories of the nation were united under one monarch, absolutism was still unachievable.

  • The Balfour Declaration

    The Balfour Declaration
    Each state in the British Empire was recognized for their unique self-governments by the Balfour Declaration in 1926. This granted the independence of each state, ending the empire and any remaining chance for absolute rule in England. The power of the monarch began to diminish as Parliament and the Prime Minister gained power.