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Jan 1, 1215
Magna Charta
English nobles force King John of England to sign the Magna Charta. THis document limited the power of the monarchs. -
James I of England vs. The Gentry
This was the first major sign of trouble between the gentry, who made up most of Parliment, and the King. James I declared he had limitless authoeity, and the Gentry blocked his attempts to combine Scotland to England as retaliation. They also forces him to agree to discussing all foreign policy with them before going foward with his plans. -
Petition of Right
(1628-29)"The petition demanded an end to
imprisonment without cause shown, to taxation
without the consent of Parliament, to martial law
in peacetime, and to the billeting of troops among
civilians. Charles agreed, in the hope of gaining
much-needed subsidies, but then broke his word.
To many, this betrayal seemed to threaten Parliament's
essential role in government alongside the
king. -
Long Parliment
When the Long Parliment was in session, they abolished the royal courts, installed the writ of Habeus Corpus, abolished taxation without permission from Parliment, and passed the Grand Remonstrance, which outlined all the legislation Parliment had passed, and requested that bishops be deprived of votes in the House of Lords. -
Start of the Civil War
Charles tried to arrest five leaders of the Commons, supposedlyfor plotting treason with the Scots. But
Parliament resisted, and the citizens of London,
openly hostile to Charles, sheltered the five. England
now began to split in two. By late 1642 both
the royalists and the antiroyalists had assembled
armies, and the Civil War was under way. -
Excecution of the King
To the horror of Europe, the House of Commons, under the comand of Cromwell of England excecuted their King, James I -
Parliment over King
Parliment offers the crown to Cromwell, who decides to leave the crown for his son. THe monarchy now has little power that the Parliment cannot counter act.
