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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
image source The Magna Carta was the first document to limit the rights of the English monarch. Composed by members of the gentry who were angry at King John for his tyrannical actions, the Magna Carta limited the king's power and indirectly liberated the English people by giving an individual less than absolute power. -
The Petition of Right
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The Petition of Right is a constitutional document created by Parliament to ensure parliamental authority regarding taxation, quartering, and other issues that the English monarch had overused power with. It marked a new cooperation between the House of Lords and the House of Commons, which increased tension between Parliament and the King by demanding further changes to the English constitution -
Charles I is Executed
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Charles I was the first monarch to ever be tried by Parliament, let alone put to death for tyranny. His mockery of the trial displayed the lack of respect for Parliament that still existed but then they cut his head off and now everyone takes them seriously Afterwards Oliver Cromwell set up a council to temporarily rule England instead of instituting a new king. -
English Civil War ends
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This is the date of the Battle of Worcester which was the culmination of the English civil war (lasted six years). Cromwell's Model Army overtook the Royalists and King Charles became a fugitive. I think the fact that the King's army were considered the rebels is enough to proclaim that Parliament had significant leverage over the King that seemed very solid. -
Glorious Revolution
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James II was deposed by his daughter, Mary, and her husband, William of the Netherlands. His extreme Catholicism, weak leadership, and Declaration of Indulgences all sat badly with the English people. This set the precedent that if a king wasn't liked he could be impeached and replaced by a better candidate. -
English Bill of Rights
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Parliament passed the English Bill of Rights to reiterate the Declaration of Right (1689). This bill dictated what the powers of the sovereign would be going forward and discussed the necessity of increased liberty for subjects. It is one of the most important bodies of law to govern the UK even today. -
Act of Settlement
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The Act of Settlement was dually designed to keep the monarch Protestant and to support the Bill of Rights and other documents meant to limit the rights of the king. It firmly cemented the new process of succession and was a key tool in the development of the new constitutional monarchy.
