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Jan 1, 1215
Creation of the Magna Carta
The creation of the Magna Carta was the first concrete step in limiting the power of the monarchs. It was insisted by nobles that King John was to sign it to give certain unalienable rights to the citizens of his kingdom. Some of the most prominent reforms that the Magna Carta made was the right to a fair trial and the fact that the monarchs don't have absolute power. -
Jan 10, 1265
The first Parliamentary meeting
While not gaining full power until the Bill of Rights, the formation and first meeting of parliament in England proved to lay the groundwork for the power that it would eventually obtain. It is the first time that the country had a official group in place that could make decisions and have meetings over the kingdom. -
Oct 31, 1517
The Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation directly opposed the religion of the monarchies, as they were catholic or followed the Church of England at the time. As we see in England and throughout Europe in the 30 Years War and English Civil War, this is not taken lightly. The spread of protestantism proved to be too much for the monarchies to squash, and they were able to defy their rule and follow their religion -
The English Civil War
The English Civil War was one of the most notable times where the British Parliament revolted against the rule of the monarch. Led by Oliver Cromwell, the parliamentarian "roundheads" were able to fight and successfully overthrow Charles I. As you can imagine, the overthrowing of a king greatly diminished the view on the amount of power the monarchs held. -
The Execution of King Charles
Decently self explanatory, but the overthrow and execution of a former king emphasized the dwindling power that the monarchs were starting to have. As we see over the next 150 years from his execution, this sparks a notion in the citizens that they have real power and that they can question the monarchy. -
The Glorious Revolution
The glorious revolution was another example of a British monarch getting overthrown, as the brutal reign of James II was brought to an end by his daughter, Mary and her husband William. This was done through a bloodless revolution, as they marched on London with support of many parliamentary members. This was not only significant because it overthrew the king, but it also replaced a Catholic leader with William and Mary, who were both protestant. -
The English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights, passed by new leaders William and Mary, firmly established the role parliament played in England, and gave away total power from the monarchies and firmly split it with parliament. Of course this splitting of power plays directly into the idea of a Limited Monarchy. Parliament also gained freedom of speech through this act.