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Queen Elizabeth I Dies
Queen Elizabeth's death marked the end of the Tudor dynasty. the throne went to John Stuart, one who wanted absolute power of the monarchy. This created a conflict between the King and Parliament. -
Charles I Takes the Throne
Charles I wanted absolute power for the monarchy. He went around the Parliament and collected taxes himslef, though only Parliament could do so. Parliament was angered. They did not want the king to take absolutye power of England. However, they were not called together under Charles I. -
English Civil War Starts
In 1642, Charles I had many important members of the Parliament who spoke out against him arrested. Enraged by the king's actions, Parliament went to Nottingham and declared war on the king. This was a war fought over who would have the main controlf of England, the king or Parliemnt. -
Formation of the Rump Parliament
Cromwell had led the Army of Parliament and had defeated Charles I. Shortly after, he and his followers removed from power the Presbetaryian members of the Parliament, This formed the rump Parliament, one that wanted all power for themselves. -
Charles I Executed
The rump Parliament took the king and tried him for treason, leading to the decision to execute him. They also abolished the monarchy, claiming that it was an unnecesary position in government. It was instead replaced with the council of state. This event took the power from one person and distributed it amongst many, which was the opposite of absolutism, and a step towards a limited monarchy, though none at all at this point. -
Charles II Takes the Throne
Sfter the death of Cromwell, who had disbanded Parliament, officials were reelected to Parliament and they voted to have a king. Charles II was brought back from exile and Fracne and made king of England. This move kept a monarchy rather than being without one. However, it also showed how Parliament had more standing power than the king, and that he was at its mercy. -
Signing of English Bill of Rights
Parliament wrote out a document that clearly stated the rights of the citizens and Parliament. It also set in place boundaries of the king's power of what he could and could not do. It also established things that the king could not do without the permission of Parliament. This event created the power balance that there is today between the king and Parliament, where Parliament is the main body of power and the king is more of a figure head. A limited monarch.
