England Monarchy changes

In England the queen, Queen Elizabeth, fought with Parliament. Mostly over money, there was a huge debt after her death. This problem leads to stopping the rulers of England from becoming absolute monarchs.

Monarchs clash with Parliament

            King James’ problems, he stated that Kings are justly called gods, for that they exercise a manner or resemblance of divine power upon earth. The Parliament fought over paying for his court and the foreign wars he waged.  Religious matters where in place due to the Puritans in Parliament not liking the Catholic King James he agreed to have the King James Version of the bible produced.

King Charles I fights parliament

            Waging wars against Spain and France he always needed money and when Parliament wouldn’t give him the money he needed he would disband the Parliament. 1628, he needed the Parliament again and they refused to give him any money until he signed a document.

Like any other King he just wanted the money and had no intentions of following the Petition of Right. One year later he dissolved the Parliament and then refused to call it into session. To raise money, he imposed all types of fees, fines, and taxes on the people.

The English Civil War

            Religious problems flared up again when he tried to force the Presbyterian Scots to accept a version of the Anglican prayer book. This started problem that at times are still being addressed in England, Scotland, and Ireland.  The Scots were so upset that they raised an army to fight against King Charles. Needing money he called on Parliament once again.

            1641 Parliament passed laws to limit royal power. Trying to arrest the parliament leaders and failing, the people of London forced Charles to flee. He went up north and raised an army of loyal followers. From 1642, the English Civil War waged between opponents of Charles I and his supporters. Those supporting Charles were known as Cavaliers or Royalists, because the Puritan supporters of the Parliament wore their hair short around their heads they were known as the roundheads.

1646 a leader came to power in the Parliamentary army, his name was Oliver Cromwell.  Following his leadership the Puritans captured Charles and brought him to trial. He was found guilty and was sentenced to death and he was publicly executed.

Oliver Cromwell, he abolished the monarchy and the House of Lords.  He sent the Parliament home while his associate John Lambert drafted a constitution, the first written constitution of any modern European state. Cromwell tore up the constitution and ruled as a military dictator.  His armies had to invade Ireland and fight the Irish, killing 616,000 Irish.

            Puritan Morality

Cromwell and the puritans promoted puritan morality and abolished sinful activities such as the theater and he practiced religious tolerance toward all but not Catholics.  With Cromwell’s his government collapsed and a new parliament was selected. Sick of military rule, the parliament asked Charles II to return to power.

Thus restoring the monarch this period is known as the RESTORATION PERIOD. Theater, sporting events, and dancing were also restored in English. In 1679 the important law of habeas corpus was passed. This law gave every prisoner the right to obtain a writ or document ordering that the prisoner be brought before a judge. A person could not be put in jail just for opposing the monarch, nor could he be held for long periods of time without trial.

Other problem faced by the parliament was who should sit in the throne after Charles, since he didn’t have an heir. Some suggested that James his brother sit as king, but he was catholic. Those that opposed his selection were known as Whigs and those that supported him were known as Tories. These two groups were the ancestors of the modern English political parties.

When Charles II died, James II took the throne and appointed a number of Catholics to high offices and the parliament protested and James dissolved the Parliament. When James had a son the parliament was terrified of a catholic chain of kings, they convinced James older daughter Mary (a protestant) who was married to William to overthrow James II for reasons of Protestantism. As William led his army into London, James II fled to France and in a bloodless rebellion; William and Mary became King and Queen in what is known as the Glorious Revolution.

POLITICAL CHANGES

            William and Mary vowed to rule England according to the statutes in Parliament agreed on and the laws and customs of the same. Recognizing the parliament as a partner in government, William and Mary and the rulers that followed them became constitutional monarchs and no longer were absolute monarchs.

Bill of Rights

Couldn’t rule with out the cabinet, which acted as a go between the Parliament and the Monarch.