1. The Development of the English Monarchy
World History - Libertyville HS

2. English History, 1067-1215 William the Conqueror (1035-1087)
French (Norman) became King after Battle of Hastings (1066)
Brutally suppressed English nobility (Native English nobles held only 8% land by 1086)
Around 1215, nobles rebelled vs. King John
Barons angry at his attempts to further expand power of throne (high taxes, unsuccessful wars)

3. Magna Carta (1215)
Barons forced King John to sign the Magna Carta (“Great Charter”)
First limit on King’s power
Protected nobles’ privileges
Guaranteed due process (notice & hearing)
Created a Royal Council of barons to check king’s power
Required all taxes to be approved by Royal Council

4. Parliament Royal Council gradually evolved into Parliament
Over centuries, became an elected body of lords and commoners
Relations between king & parliament depended upon strength of king
Strong king could control or ignore parliament
Weak king forced to work with and be challenged by parliament
By 1341, it was established that no law could be made, nor any tax levied, without the consent of both Houses and the king

5. Stuart Dynasty (1603-1688) Elizabeth I died in 1603, without heirs
Crown passed to her Scottish cousin, James I (r )
Presbyterian king of Scotland
Wanted to be an absolute monarch, like continental kings (no limits, from Parl.)
Fought w/ Parliament over taxes, war
Parl wanted no wars on Cont. (30 Years War)
Religious conflict (Parl=Puritan vs king = Presbyterian)

6. Charles I (r )
Protestant, but married Catholic princess from France
Believed self to be appointed by God as king
Fought vs. Parl. for money to fight in 30 Years War
When he didn’t get $$, he dissolved Parl.
Ruled for 11 years,
Levied taxes w/o Parl. approval
Jailed nobles w/o due process

7. English Civil War,
: b/c of rebellion in Ireland, Charles needed $$$; brought Parl. back into session
Parl. ignored $ request and passed laws limiting king’s power
Charles tried to have Parl. arrested; Parl. fled, but commoners attacked King!
Civil war started: Royalists vs. “Roundheads”

8. English Civil War, 1642-49 Royalists Roundheads Oliver Cromwell
Supporters of King Charles
Generally nobility, Catholics, Irish, Scottish
Roundheads
Supporters of Parliament
Generally commoners, Puritans
Oliver Cromwell
Leader of Roundheads
Puritan (strict Anglicans)
Creates “New Model Army”, a professional army
Royalists fought in traditional manner (peasant levies, etc)

9. English Civil War, 1642-49 King Charles captured
Parliament debated what to do…
New Model Army marched on Parliament and arrested those that wanted to negotiate with Charles
Only let 75 members in to vote to try King for treason
Tried and sentenced to death by “Rump Parliament”
Executed on 1/30/1649

10. Cromwell’s Commonwealth of England
Cromwell became “Lord Protector” until his death in 1658
Essentially a military dictatorship
Parliament did not meet
Cromwell spent his time subduing Ireland & Wales
Also passed morality laws outlawing the theater, comedies
In 1660, the Parl. invited Charles’ son to become king of England (already ruling as king of Scotland)

11. Charles II (r. 1660-1685) Charles II agreed to habeas corpus law
Every prisoner has the right to be brought before a judge to determine if wrongfully arrested
All prisoners have right to a trial (no indefinite imprisonment w/o trial)
Attempted religious tolerance of Catholics, but that was blocked by Parl.
Known as the “Merry Monarch” b/c he liked to party

12. James II
Charles II died w/o an heir so his brother, James, became James II
James was… Catholic!
James flaunts his religion to a horrified Parl, nation
Also thought he was an absolute monarch
Dissolved Parl when it spoke out against him
James then had a son
Line of Catholic English kings frightened a protestant Parl.

13. The “Glorious Revolution” (1688)
Parl. invited James II’s daughter, Mary, and her husband, William of Orange (Dutch guy) to become king and queen of England
Bloodless revolt
William & Mary showed up, James II fled to Ireland (later to Spain)

14. William & Mary Constitutional Monarchy
W & M were partners w/ Parl, not absolute monarchs
Signed Bill of Rights that limited the power of the monarchy
No suspension of Parl. laws
No taxes w/o Parl. approval
No limits on speech, in Parl.
Safety for people to complain against King
Est. Cabinet (link between Parl., monarch)
Prime minister runs gov’t
Center of policy making, gov’t in England, even today