What happened in
England?
The development of
limited monarchy
(Constitutional
Monarchy)
•A CONSTITUTIONAL
MONARCHY is a form of Constitutional
government established
Monarchy
under a constitutional
system which
acknowledges an
hereditary or elected
monarch as head of state.
•Though the king or queen
may be regarded as the
government's symbolic
head, it is the Prime
Minister who actually
governs the country. For
example: Queen Elizabeth
II of England.
The Monarch and Parliament
• What was Parliament?
• The representatives of the people.
• Why did England have a
Parliament?
• Magna Carta in 1215.
Magna Carta
• 1215 barons had
enough & listed their
grievances
• List became known as
Magna Carta (Great
Charter)
• John met barons at
Runnymede
• It introduced the idea
that even the king
must obey some laws!
Magna Carta
• The king must not interfere with the Church
• When a baron inherits land he should pay the king no
more than £100
• The king cannot collect new taxes unless the barons and
bishops agree
• No freeman can be put in prison without trial by a jury
• Justice will be without delays or bribes
• Traders must be able to travel freely without having to
pay tolls
• The King’s men must not take anyone’s goods without
paying for them.
• As soon as peace is restored, all foreign merchants should
leave the country.
The Tudors and Parliament
Henry and Elizabeth
Henry and Parliament
• Two prominent members of
Tudor dynasty, Henry VIII and
daughter Elizabeth I, ruled
when absolutism common on
European continent
• Henry VIII created Protestant
Church in England to divorce
first wife
• In England, Parliament placed
curbs on absolute monarchy
• Both father, daughter had to
learn to work with Parliament
to fulfill goals
• Had Parliament pass laws
ending power of pope in
England
• In 1534 Act of Supremacy
named king as head of
Church of England
Edward, Mary, Elizabeth
• After Henry’s death and short reign of son Edward, Mary I
became queen
• Often called Bloody Mary, briefly made England Catholic
again
• 1558, Mary died; Elizabeth crowned queen
• Returned England to Anglican Church with Parliament’s
help
Tension
• Tension developed between Parliament, queen
• Parliament pressured her to marry so she would have heir
to throne
• Elizabeth refused, knowing marriage would limit her
freedom
• Still managed to talk Parliament into approving funds she
needed
Elizabeth in Charge
Major reason for Elizabeth’s good relationship with Parliament, her
willingness to let members speak minds without fear of
punishment
• Close ties shown in fact that she called Parliament into session 10
times in 45-year reign
• Elizabeth clearly in charge, but had difficulty keeping subjects from
questioning her actions
• Earl of Essex rebelled against authority
• Asked publicly, “Cannot princes err? Cannot subjects receive wrong? Is an
earthly power or authority infinite?”
• Essex tried, executed as a traitor
• Not the last to question Elizabeth’s authority
How did Parliament interfere with
absolute monarchy?
• Parliament wanted to share power with
the Monarch.
• James expected to be an absolute
monarch and was challenged by
Parliament.
The Stuarts and Parliament
• The Tudors’ success with Parliament not repeated
• Relative of the Scotland Tudors succeeded
Elizabeth
James I
Clashes with
Puritan Reform
• James I, first of
• Seen as threat to
Parliament
Stuart dynasty to
rule in England
• View of absolute
monarchy caused
conflict with
Parliament
• Previous wars, own
spending left him
low on funds
• From Scotland,
considered outsider
• James rarely got all
money he wanted
from Parliament
• Puritans wanted
reform of Church of
England
James’s power;
church leadership
supported him
• Refused to pass
Puritans’ requests
for reform
• Did agree to
publication of King
James Bible
England
• James I
• Son of Mary Queen of
Scots
• Raised by Scottish
leaders
• “Divine right of kings”
• Royal monopolies
• Dissolved Parliament
• Lost favor of the people
• Puritans' opposition
English monarchs attempted to establish
absolute system
• James I (1603-1625)
fought with Parliament
over his authority.
• Puritans wanted
Anglican Church to
reflect a Calvinist
view.
• James refused to
cooperate, except for a
new Bible translation.
www.bbc.co.uk/history
James I and the clash with
Parliament
• James I wanted absolute power when he
inherited the throne from Queen
Elizabeth
• Elizabeth wanted absolute power too, but
was better at flattering parliament to get
her way
• Always conflict between the royalty and
parliament over $ - royalty wants $ for
royal court and foreign wars
James I continued
• Also annoyed people b/c he refused to
make Puritan reforms (get rid of Catholic
practices).
• Hated when anyone told him what to do
(sound familiar?)
• Known for the King James Bible – the
Puritan translation of the old Bible
James I
• Reigned 1603-25
• The people disliked him
• Jamestown & Plymouth, Massachusetts
founded
• England went into debt; James demanded
high taxes
• Argued with Parliament; wanted absolute
monarchy as in Henry VIII’s day
King James I
Charles I Defies Parliament
When James I died in 1625, his younger son was crowned king
as Charles I.
Issues of Money
• Popular at first, but married
Catholic princess
• Involved England in military
adventures overseas
• 1628, summoned Parliament to
request money
• Parliament refused until Charles
signed Petition of Right
• Petition of Right a direct
challenge to absolute monarchy
Petition of Right
• Placed limits on king’s power
• Could not levy taxes without
Parliamentary approval
• Parliament later refused to give
Charles money again
• He taxed English people on
own, forced bankers to lend
him money
• Parliament was furious
• Charles dismissed Parliament
• 1629, decided to rule without
consulting Parliament again
• Charles I
England
• Son of James I
• Revolt in Scotland
• Scottish people did
not feel fairly treated
• Imposition of bishops
versus presbyters
• War with France
• Unable to raise taxes
without Parliament
• Long Parliament
• Civil War
• Death of the king
• Roundheads vs
Cavaliers
Charles I
• 1625, James I dies and his son, Charles I,
gets the throne
• Always needed $ for war
• When parliament denied $ requests, he
dissolved parliament
• 1628, parliament gets back together and
asks Charles to sign the Petition of Right
What was the Petition of Right?
• An agreement between Parliament and
the King that said the king must:
• Get Parliament’s consent to raise taxes.
• Not imprison subjects without due
cause.
• Not have martial law or house soldiers
in time of peace.
Petition of Right
•
•
•
•
No imprisonment without due cause
No taxation without parliament’s consent
No putting soldiers in private homes
No martial law during peacetime
• Charles I signed the petition and then
ignored it – even dissolved parliament
again and levied mad taxes on the people
How did the Petition of Right limit
the monarchy in England?
• The king had to
follow rules.
• Especially
important the king
had to ask
Parliament’s
permission to raise
taxes
More of Charles I
• The people hated the
taxes (obviously)
What did Charles do to limit
Parliament’s Power?
• He did not allow them to meet for
over ten years.
• When they did meet he tried to
arrest Parliament’s leaders
• This started the English Civil War.
Charles loses his head in an
argument
• Charles I (1625-1649) pursued
an aggressive foreign policy
with Spain.
• Continually sought new funds
from Parliament, members
checked his power by forcing
him to sign the Petition of
Right, 1628.
• When Charles dissolved
Parliament and tried to raise
money, civil war resulted.
: www.mdarchives.state.md.us/.../ 01glance/images/charles1.jpg
Parliamentary Parties
• Tories: for a strong king, tended to be
Anglicans & landless nobles (who got their
titles from the king)
• Whigs: for a strong Parliament, tended to be
Anglicans who supported religious freedom,
as well as merchants and lawyers; also
included Puritans
The English Civil War
Conflict Continued
• Conflict continued between
king who believed in absolute
monarchy, Parliament that saw
itself independent
• Conflict led to war, king’s death
Limited King’s Powers
Parliament Reconvened
• 1640, Charles I finally
reconvened Parliament to ask
for more money
• “Long Parliament” did not
disband for several years
Grudging Acceptance
• Having been ignored 11 years,
Parliament took opportunity to
further limit king’s powers
• Parliament also ruled king
could no longer dismiss
Parliament
• Demanded Parliament be
called at least every three
years
• Charles accepted new rules;
but awaited right time to
overturn
1642 Civil War
• Erupted because Charles I refused to let Parliament meet
from 1629-40. When they finally did meet, refused to give
him money unless he agreed to limit his own powers.
• Tories willing to fight nicknamed “Cavaliers” (Fr.
Chevalier=knight)
• Puritans flocked to the banner of General Oliver
Cromwell; known as “Roundheads” for their closely
cropped, plain hair, in contrast with the fashionably long
haired Cavaliers
• Puritanism swept the lend; arts and sciences that flourished
since Elizabeth went underground
War with Parliament
Strategy
• Charles’ moment came when radical Puritan group in Parliament moved
to abolish appointment of bishops in Anglican Church
• King, whose power connected to power of church, was outraged
Charles Tries Power Grab
• Charles decided to arrest Puritan leaders for treason
• Led troops into House of Commons, but men had already escaped
• Charles had tipped hand on intentions to take back power
Civil War Begins
• Some members of Parliament decided to rise up against king
• Charles I called for support of English people
• 1642, English Civil War began
English Civil War
• Since Charles I ruled over Scotland AND
England, there were several religions
• Charles I wanted ONE religion – ended up in
Civil War when the Scots rebelled
• War cost $, so Charles needed Parliament.
Parliament hated him and wanted to limit his
power
• Supporters of Charles I = Royalists
• The opposition supports Parliament = Roundheads
Royalists and Roundheads
• Without Parliament’s funding, king relied on contributions to pay army
• Wealthy nobles called Royalists for allegiance to Charles
• Parliament could back its army by voting for funding
• Supporters of Parliament called Roundheads for short, bowl-shaped
haircuts
• Roundheads included Puritans, merchants, some from upper classes
Roundhead Forces
• Parliament member Oliver
Cromwell led Roundhead forces
• Rose to leadership as army
general
• 1644, led victory in which 4,000
of king’s soldiers died
• Cromwell soon became
commander of Parliament’s army
King Surrenders
• Royalist army outmatched by
Cromwell’s troops
• 1646, king surrendered
• Cromwell dismissed members of
Parliament who disagreed with
him
• Those left made up what was
called the Rump Parliament
More Civil War
• Under leadership of
Oliver Cromwell, the
puritan roundheads
finally won (1646)
• Took Charles I
hostage, tried him in
front of the public
and executed him
• The decapitation -
Trial and Execution
Eventually Rump Parliament charged king with
treason, put him on trial
•
During trial, Charles defended self with great eloquence,
refused to even recognize Parliament’s authority to try him
•
In the end, Charles sentenced to death for treason
•
January 30, 1649, publicly beheaded in front of own palace
•
To some he was martyr; to others tyrant who got what he
deserved
Results of the English Civil War
• Charles I lost and was tried and
executed (Beheaded).
• England was ruled by a military
dictatorship for 9 years.
• The Restoration lasted for 28 years.
• Glorious Revolution changed kings
without violence.
Oliver Cromwell defeats king’s
forces and became Lord Protector
• Charles executed for
treason.
• On paper, England
was a republic but in
practice a
dictatorship.
• Cromwell
suppressed revolt in
Ireland.
• Imposed Puritan
ideals on English.
http://www.graham.day.dsl.pipex.com/civilwar-cromwell.gif
Oliver Cromwell
• 1649 he got rid of the monarchy and established
a republican form of government
• Sent most of the Parliamentary members home
and eventually established a military dictatorship
(he tore up the first constitution that his
associate produced)
• Since Ireland was under English rule, the Irish
revolted against Cromwell and failed – 616,000
Irish were killed by war, plague and famine
England under Cromwell
Commonwealth
• England’s government changed completely for the next 11 years
• House of Commons abolished House of Lords, outlawed monarchy
• Became commonwealth, government based on common good of all
people
Lord Protector
• 1653, Cromwell given title Lord Protector of England, Scotland, Ireland
• Skilled leader, but demanded complete obedience
• Clamped down on social life, closed theaters, limited other
entertainment
Foreign Issues
• Cromwell also had to deal with foreign issues
• Led military expeditions to Scotland, Ireland
• Economic policies led to war with Dutch over trade; also warred on
Spain
Puritan Morality
• Cromwell and the Puritans wanted to
improve England’s morality
• Abolished all “sinful” things – like theater
• Cromwell was tolerant of other religions
despite his deep Puritan beliefs (EXCEPT
CATHOLICS)
A Defender of Absolutism
Questions of Rule
• Cromwell, the king’s death, war
troubled many English people
• One was Thomas Hobbes,
Royalist who fled to France
during Cromwell’s rule
• Hobbes wrote classic work of
political science, Leviathan
Leviathan
• In Leviathan, Hobbes
described humans as being
naturally selfish, fearful
• Hobbes argued that people
needed all-powerful monarch
to tell them how to live
• Views sparked controversy
when England trying to find
balance in government
Interregnum
• Latin for “between kings,” 1649-60
• England became a “Protectorate” instead of a
commonwealth with Cromwell as “Lord
Protector”
• Scotland & Ireland conquered (hence Ireland’s
anti-Protestant attitude
• Oliver dies in 1658, his son Richard now Lord
Protector
• Richard proves to be inept, so people overthrow
him in 1660, ask for monarchy
The Monarchy Returns
Hobbes’s ideas reflected the fact that many people were unhappy
under Cromwell, especially when he dismissed Parliament to rule
alone—like a king. Attitudes were changing so much that a return
to monarchy became possible.
The Restoration
• 1658, Cromwell died; son took
place; Richard Cromwell lacked
father’s leadership abilities
• His government collapsed
• Eventually Parliament
reconvened, voted to bring back
monarchy—event known as the
Restoration
The New King
• Spring 1660, Parliament invited
son of Charles I to be new king
• Parliament laid out certain
conditions which Charles
accepted
• Was crowned as Charles II
• People shouted their good
wishes
Pepys: “Great joy all yesterday at London, and at night more bonfires that
ever, and ringing of bells…every body seems to be very joyfull in the
business…”
Great Chain of Being
• May explain why English wanted a
monarch again.
• A way of looking at the universe and how it
works
• All beings and objects arranged in a
hierarchy with God at the top and mere dust
at the bottom
• By killing the king, the chain is disrupted
and chaos ensues
Monarchy Restored
• When Cromwell died,
so did his government.
• English invited
Charles II (16601685) to restore
monarchy.
• Reign was a period of
calm marked by court
decadence.
Restoration and Revolution
• English get sick of military rule and after
Cromwell dies, they ask the older son of Charles
I (Charles II) to rule England
• Restoration of monarch = restoration
• Allowed the return of theater and sports
• Passed important guarantee of freedom: Habeas
Corpus
• “to have the body”
• People need to know why they’re arrested
• Could not be held indefinitely without trial
The Reign of Charles II
• Charles had to address many issues—conflict with Dutch
continued; religious tensions remained; role of Parliament still
being developed
• Charles supported religious toleration for Catholics, but
Parliament insisted on laws to strengthen the Church of
England
• Restoration years, mixture of positive, negative events
Positive and Negative
• Charles reopened theaters, flowering of English drama resulted
• Habeas Corpus Act passed, guaranteeing someone accused of a crime
had right to appear in court to determine if should be held, released
• 1665, bubonic plague returned; following year Great Fire of London
• After fire, Charles supported public construction projects
Monarchy In Crisis
• On Charles’ death,
brother became king.
• James II (1685-1688)
was pro-Catholic,
which angered many.
• When his young wife
produced an heir,
Parliament feared a
renewed period of
turmoil and removed
king from power.
www.bbc.co.uk/.../monarchs_leaders/ images/james_2_full.jpg
James II
Later in Charles’s reign the question of who would
succeed him remained. His brother James was next in
line, but he was a Catholic.
Not Popular
• James married to Catholic
princess, whose Catholic son
would outrank James’s
Protestant daughters from first
marriage
• 1685, Charles died, James
crowned king
• Many wondered if another
destructive war would follow
• James not popular; believed in
right to rule as absolute
monarch
• English did not tolerate that
belief
Glorious Revolution
• 1688, group of nobles invited
James’s daughter Mary, husband
William to become king, queen
• William and Mary both
Protestants, lived in Netherlands
• James fled to France
• Parliament gave throne to William
III, Mary II as joint rulers; transfer
became known as the Glorious
Revolution
James II and the Glorious
Revolution
• James II got the throne after Charles II
died
• Everyone hated James b/c he was
flamboyantly Catholic and gave his
Catholic friends good jobs
• James was eventually peacefully
overthrown by his own daughter and her
husband (protestants)
• William and Mary then ruled England
The Glorious Revolution
William and Mary Restore English Monarchy
www.camelotintl.com/heritage/ rulers/images/willmary.gif
• Parliament invited Mary,
daughter of Charles I, and
a Protestant, to jointly rule
with her husband, William
of Orange. (1689-1702)
• Both agreed to follow
Parliamentary laws and
accepted English Bill of
Rights.
• England became the only
limited monarchy in
Europe. Parliament in
control.
What were the results of the
Glorious Revolution?
• William and Mary ruled with
Parliament = Constitutional Monarchy.
• They agreed to a Bill of Rights that
limited government’s (monarch’s)
power
• Cabinet system developed with the
Prime Minister as leader.
Changes in Government
Bill of Rights
• With Glorious Revolution,
Parliament had essentially
crowned new king, queen
• More important, a document
William and Mary had to sign
before taking throne—the
English Bill of Rights
• Document prevented
monarch from levying taxes
without consent of
Parliament, among other
provisions
• U.S. Bill of Rights based on
this document
Constitutional Monarchy
• Bill of Rights central to
England’s growth as
Constitutional Monarchy,
term for monarchy limited by
law
• Document’s approval came
after decades of dramatic
changes in English
government
• England had rejected concept
of absolute monarch who
ruled by divine right, for
monarchy ruled by law
Political Changes
• First Constitutional Monarchy where laws
limited the ruler’s power
• Bill of Rights:
•
•
•
•
No suspension of Parliament’s laws
No taxes w/o Parliament’s consent
Freedom of speech in Parliament
No penalty for complaining about the King
Political Changes Continued
• Established a Cabinet
• Cabinet was a link b/w the majority party
in Parliament and the King
• Became center of power and policymaking
• Still exists today
• Leader of Cabinet = Prime Minister
1707 Act of Union
• Unifies Scotland & England
• Ireland is a subject nation
• Nation known as the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland