1. Triumph of Parliament in England

2. The Tudors
Ruled from
Henry VIII
Elizabeth I
Believed in divine right, but recognized the value of good relations w/ Parliament
Elizabeth’s skill in handling Parliament made her a popular & successful ruler

3. The Stuarts Repeatedly clashed with Parliament James I
Belief in divine right- “I will not be content that my power be disputed on”
Had disputes with dissenters- Protestants who differed with the Church of England
King James version of bible

4. The Stuarts Charles I Son of James I, behaved like an absolute monarch
Dissolved Parliament and ruled without it for 11 years
Parliament launched its own revolt
Executed Charles’ chief ministers
Declared that Parliament could not be dissolved without its own consent

5. The English Civil War Posed a major challenge to absolutism
Supporters of Charles I= Cavaliers
Well-trained
Wealthy nobles
Supporters of Parliament=Roundheads
Country gentry, manufacturers, Puritans
Leader: Oliver Cromwell
Defeated the Cavaliers

6. The English Civil War
Parliament set up a court to put the king on trial
Condemned him to death as a “tyrant, traitor, murderer and public enemy”
Charles I beheaded
For the first time, king had been tried & executed by his own people
Parliament sent clear signal that no ruler could claim absolute power & ignore the law

7. The Commonwealth
England was declared a republic called the Commonwealth under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell
Abolished monarchy & Church of England
Exiled Catholics & ruled a Puritan society
Closed all theaters, Sunday=religious observance; no dancing, gambling or taverns
Cromwell dies, end of Commonwealth
Charles II takes the throne

8. The Glorious Revolution
Charles welcomed back: restored monarchy, Church of England & reopened theaters & taverns
But Charles’ brother James II inherited the throne- less popular ruler (Catholic)
Glorious Revolution- James’ protestant daughter Mary & her husband William of Orange invited to become rulers of England. James fled; bloodless overthrow
Established Limited Monarchy- monarch’s powers are limited by constitution or legislative body
Radical, considering absolute monarchies elsewhere in Europe

9. English Bill of Rights
Ensured superiority of Parliament over the monarchy
Required the monarch to summon Parliament regularly
Restated traditional rights of English citizens
Established habeas corpus- no person could be held in prison without first being charged with a specific crime