Why did England become a constitutional monarchy?
Before we discuss the events of the 17th century that directly led to a constitutional monarchy in England, we first need to understand why government developed differently than on the continent. Let's examine the context for the development of constitutionalism in England.
What was Common Law and how was it different from Roman Law?
Henry II (1154 - 1198)
- Henry increased the number of criminal cases tried in the king's court and also devised means for taking property cases from local courts to the royal courts.
- Common law replaced law codes that varied from place to place throughout the kingdom
- Disputed the authority of the church to rule on cases dealing with the clergy
Richard I
- Son of Henry II
- Spent large amounts of money on expanding the kingdom in France
John (Lackland)
- English noble resented the growing power of the king and rebelled during the reign of John
- At Runnymede in 1215 John was forced to sign the Magna Carta
- The relationship between the king and his vassals was based on mutual rights and obligations
- The Magna Carta gave written recognition to the fact that a monarch's power was limited, not absolute
Edward III
- Called the first parliaments as a way to approve increase taxation
- Established the concept of a deliberative body that could advise and consent to the king's wishes
How did the Tudor Dynasty establish a conflict between future Monarchs and Parliament?
Henry VIII
- Used the Reformation Parliament to approve his break from the Catholic Church
- Established a personality that his children could not live up to (Edward was sickly, Mary and Elizabeth were women)
- Depleted the treasury and closed off sources of revenue
- Split England between Catholics and Protestants
- All three of Henry's children had different ideas about religion which required Parliaments approval each time they changed something
English Society in the 17th Century
Impact of the Commercial Revolution
- As the commercial revolution gained momentum, the size of the English middle class increased.
- With the exception of the Dutch Republic, the English middle class was proportionally larger than that of any country in Europe.
- English entrepreneurs financed joint-stock companies that played a key role in promoting English colonies in North America.
Gentry
- The gentry included wealthy landowners who dominated the House of Commons
- It is very important to not that unlike France, the English gentry was willing to pay taxes. This had two important consequences
- First, since the tax burden was more equitable in England, the peasantry was not overburdened with excessive taxes.
- Second, the gentry and thus the house of commons demanded a role in determining national expenditures. This created an inevitable conflict with the Stuart Kings
Religion
- By the end of the 17th century, Calvinists compromised the largest percentage of the English population.
- Puritans continued to demand changes in the Anglican Church.
Key Issues
The Role of the Monarch
- the Stuart kings believed that their authority came from God.
- The Stuart kings thus wanted a monarchy free from parliamentary restraints.
The Role of the House of Commons
- The House of Commons was dominated by the gentry, merchants and lawyers.
- members were determined to preserve traditional privileges such as freedom of open debate and immunity from arrest.
- They demanded a stronger voice in political affairs.
Organization of the Anglican Church
- The Stuarts favored the established Episcopal form of church organization. in this hierarchical arrangement, the king, Archbishop of Canterbury, and bishops determined doctrine and practice.
- The Puritans favored a Presbyterian form of church organization. This arrangement allowed church members a much grater voice in running the church and expressing dissenting views.