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Period: 1215 to
What led to a limited monarchy in England
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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, written by King John's subjects, created parliament, which would be the main obstacle for the English monarchy in terms of achieving absolute power for the next several hundred years. The Magna Carta ensured that the king could not have absolute power, nor could he make decisions on arbitrary reasoning. -
English Civil War
The English Civil War was caused by the supporters of the king (Charles I) and the supporters of the parliament, who were led by Oliver Cromwell. The war ended with a win on the parliaments side. -
Execution of Charles I
After he lost the English Civil War, Charles I was executed as being a murderer and traitor. With him fell the power of absolute monarchy, as after his death, Oliver Cromwell and parliament gained power. -
The Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution saw the co-monarchs William and Mary of Orange, who replaced of James II and VII, change the alignment of power in England. They accepted more constraints from parliament than previous monarchs had (especially more than James II, who believed in divine right) and thus the balance of power between these two legislative bodies grew more equal and would remain that way. -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights was passed by parliament and signed by William and Mary. This bill had perhaps the most profound effect on Englands limited monarchy besides the Magna Carta because it declared that parliament had more power than the king. This eradicated any possibility of an absolute monarchy. -
Two Treatises of Government
John Locke's Two Treatises of Government justified the events of the Glorious Revolution. It was a direct attack on absolute monarchy and the dangers it posed to England. -
Act of Settlement
The act of settlement in 1701 which settled the English succession to the crown. The act set rules by the Parliament for the monarchy, such as the fact that all future monarchs must join in communion with the church of England. A clause (although repealed by George I) stated that the sovereign was not aloud to leave England without parliaments permission.
