What political events of the 17th century changed the English monarchy from absolute to constitutional?

by Phil Gyford

Question by miky:

What political events of the 17th century changed the English monarchy from absolute to constitutional?

I know the main idea but am lost with the specific events.
Thanks, this is for my european history class!




Best answer:

Answer by Joseph
I think this describes the situation quite clearly:
While continental European states were developing absolute and centralized monarchies, England, in a chaotic and violent century, radically reduced the power of the monarch and developed an alternative state in which the powers of the monarch became subsidiary to the power of the branches of government. The political experiments of England would be dramatic, from absolutist tendencies at the beginning of the century, to the overthrow of the monarch in the middle of the century and the development of an English Republic, and finally to the restoration of the monarch and the severe limitation of monarchical powers. These titanic changes were largely driven by religious concerns as the issues of monarchy in England collided with the concerns and complaints of an increasingly large and increasingly radical Protestant minority.



James I
When James I (1603-1625) succeeded Elizabeth I in 1603 he became the first foreign monarch of modern England. He was the king of Scotland, James VI, and was the son of Mary, the Queen of Scots; he was, therefore, the next in line to be king when Elizabeth died.

James became king at an especially difficult time to become King of England. The government was deeply in debt, the English Church was divided while a radical Protestant minority was growing, and the Parliament was not happy with the power that had been accruing to the monarch over the past several decades.

James's problem was that he could not pay his bills without the approval of Parliament, for English law forbade the king from raising revenues independently of the consent of Parliament. James, however, had debts to pay and an extravagant lifestyle to keep up. So he argued that he had some privileges to raise money through customs duties; these duties, called impositions , lit the fire beneath Parliament's feet and the subsequent history of James's reign is a long, protracted battle with Parliament over the powers of the king

The church was an even bigger mess. The English church was dividing into a conservative camp that wanted to retain the religious ceremonies and the hierarchy of the church and a radical, Calvinist camp called Puritans who wanted to "purify" the church of everything not contained in the Old and New Testaments. The Puritans demanded that the English church abandon the elaborate ceremonies and flatten the hierarchy of the church into something more closely resembling the voluntary associations of the Calvinist church. James, however, would have none of the Puritan argument and declared, in 1604, that he was fully in the camp of the religious conservatives. This division between the monarch and the Puritans, which would be continued by his son, Charles I, lit the fire that ignited......
http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ENLIGHT/ENGLAND.HTM

ore of the same
III. James I (1603-1625)

A. Good start (economic/Jamestown/Mayflower/Scotland no threat/ latitudinarian in religion (KJV)
-- James already King of Scotland so England doesn’t have to worry about Scotland anymore
--builds on exploration activities of Elizabeth (establishes first colony-Jamestown)

results in better economy
colonies important also as safety valve (unsatisfied citizens can become leaders in new world, those without economic opportunity can have chance at even becoming wealthy in new world, religious groups (Pilgrims, Puritans, Catholics) can go to new world instead of causing problems at home.
--continues Latitudinarianism
King James Bible an attempt to get generally agreed-on version of the Bible. Does this by direct, literal translation from Greek and Hebrew rather than interpreting controversial passages. Very successful: most Christian denominations agreed on KJV as standard, even when they had other differences.
B. Problem: Gunpowder Plot (Please to remember the 5th of November): result: anti-Catholic sent./pressure to join Thirty Years' War, etc.

Gunpowder Plot-1605. Some Catholics think James will attempt to reunite with Roman Catholic church. When he doesn't, Catholics angry-want to kill James and Parliament. Llittle by little, smuggle in gunpowder to basement of Parliament to blow it up. Plot discovered and Guy Fawkes caught red handed! Plotters killed, but not end of the story. After word spreads, people start hating Catholic. Puritans grow as a result. English kings under pressure to help Protestants whenever and wherever they are threatened by Catholics. Expensive, and a foreign policy problem. Worse for James successor
IV. Charles I (1625-1649)
A. Under pressure to help protestants in France/Empire but not given money by parliament/even worse: impending war with Spain--insufficient resources.

B. Summoned parliament for tax revenue/instead parliament insists on Petition of Right (decree against arbitrary arrests and imprisonments, arbitrary taxes, etc.)

C. Charles, frustrated, decides to do without parliament, "personal rule" 1629-1640. Collects taxes without parliamentary authorization. Illegal? No
http://www.northern.edu/marmorsa/delinednotes17thcentengland.htm

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