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The Development of the English Monarchy. World History - Libertyville HS. 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)
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The Development of the English Monarchy World History - Libertyville HS
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)
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
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
Stuart Dynasty (1603-1688) • Elizabeth I died in 1603, without heirs • Crown passed to her Scottish cousin, James I (r. 1603-1625) • 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)
Charles I (r. 1625-49) • 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 $$, he dissolved Parl. • Ruled for 11 years, 1629-40 • Levied taxes w/o Parl. approval • Jailed nobles w/o due process
English Civil War, 1642-49 • 1640-42: b/c of rebellion in Ireland, Charles needed $$$; 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”
English Civil War, 1642-49 • Royalists • 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)
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
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)
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
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.
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)
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