-
1201
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta is the first instance of constitutional monarchy recorded in England. What the Magna Carta did was essentially to do swift justice and prevent illegal convictions. Although both the king and the barons did not follow the Carta until much later when certain parts were removed, it is still shown to be the earliest attempt in England to a limited monarchy. -
The Puritan Revoution
The Puritan Revolution was a series of 3 wars that was a struggle for power between the crown and the Parliament. The Puritan revolution was also known as the English Civil war. Each of the three different phases in the civil wars, it was the supporters of the monarchy fighting against the supporters of the Parliament. After the end, the Parliament won all three phases, making England a limited monarchy prominent. -
Glorious Revolution of 1688
The Glorious Revolution caused the return of constitutional monarchy since the Magna Carta. Although no blood was shed and the revolution was quick, it resulted in the change of rulers and the drafting of the Bill of Rights which would lead to a limited monarchy. -
Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights cut down the power of the monarch and gave some of those powers to the Parliament. The Bill of Rights prevented the monarch from passing a law without the consent of the Parliament Instead the approval of the Parliament was required to pass the act. This is a clear example of the path of limited monarchy, where the monarch, although has some authority, the monarch does not have TOTAL power. -
Act of Settlement
The Act of Settlement further limited the powers of the monarch in respect to the Parliament. The Act also furthered the Bill of Rights by preventing the monarch from going to war without the consent of the Parliament. Hence, the monarch needed approval from the Parliament to pass a law or go to war. The Act also caused foreigners to have less influence and to make Roman Catholics completely out of the throne. -
King William IV dismisses a Prime Minister
As time went by, the monarch's power to appoint and dismiss a Prime Minister diminished. King William IV was the last monarch to dismiss a minister. Afterward, however, monarchs had almost no power over the appointment and dismissal of a prime minister. After this, monarchs would have almost no power. -
The end of the reign of Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria was the last monarch of England to practice absolute power when she kept a prime minister against the will of the Parliament. Near the end of her reign, however, her power diminished and the Parliament appointed William Gladstone against her wishes for prime minister. However, she still had a bit of power, able to influence decisions made by the Cabinet. This is shown when she changed the decision of the appointment of the war secretary. -
Today
The monarchy today is simply ceremonial. The duties that belonged to the monarch are now done by the Prime Minister and the Parliament.
