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King James I created religious problems when at the Hampton Court Conference he rebuffed the Puritans, who made up the Church of England and hoped for more representation, and declared his intention to strengthen the Anglican episcopacy. This resulted in many religious dissenters leaving England and Parliament pressuring him to start a war against Catholic Spain due to their unhappiness with his religious affiliations and policies. It increased suspicions among his people and political tensions. -
While England was at war with Spain, Charles I was unable to obtain adequate funds from Parliament. So, he began levying new tariffs, collecting discontinued taxes, forced loans, quartering troops in private homes. In 1628, Parliament refused to grant new funds until Charles recognized the Petition of Right. This prohibited forced loans or taxation without consent, along with other protections against his measures. While Charles agreed to the petition, he soon dissolved Parliament until 1640. -
Charles asked Parliament (1640) for funds for a war, but Parliament refused to consider it until he agreed to redress a list of grievances. He refused dissolved Parliament, but was then defeated and forced to reconvene Parliament later that same year. The Long Parliament abolished courts enforcing royal policy, prohibited levying of new taxes without consent, and resolved that no more than 3 years could elapse between its meetings the king could no longer dissolve it without its own consent. -
Charles asked Parliament to raise funds for an army to suppress a Scottish rebellion, but many people argued that he could not be trusted with an army, and that Parliament should be commander in chief of English armed forces. Charles left London to raise an army of his own, so the House of Commons passed the Militia Ordinance, granting Parliament authority to raise its own army. This led to the civil war between the king's supporters (Cavaliers) and the parliamentary opposition (Roundheads). -
Oliver Cromwell's reorganization of the parliamentary army aided Parliament's victory in the Civil War. Charles was soon executed after his defeat, and Parliament abolished the monarchy. England then became a Puritan republic, largely dominated by Cromwell. Radical views could now be freely expressed by the people. Although after Cromwell's death the monarchy was restored, the Puritan republic contributed to Parliament holding a powerful role in government and among the people of England. -
King Charles II issued a Declaration of Indulgence that suspended all laws against Roman Catholics non-Anglican Protestants in the hopes of gaining people's support for the war with Holland. Parliament refused to fund the war until Charles rescinded the declaration. After he did, Parliament passed the Test Act, which required all civil military officials to swear a specific oath that no loyal Roman Catholic could honestly do. This was an example of Parliament limiting the monarchy. -
Parliament proclaimed William III and Mary II the new monarchs of England after James II fled, which is referred to as the "Glorious Revolution." They recognized a Bill of Rights that limited the powers of the monarchy and guaranteed civil liberties to the English privileged classes. England's monarchs became subject to law and ruled by consent of Parliament.
Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_of_Orange,_and_Mary,_his_English_wife_are_presented_Wellcome_V0048279.jpg
