The English Constitutional Monarchy

Ann-Houston Campbell, Caroline Woods, Rachel Overby

Before The English Constitutional Monarchy

• English Civil War (Eleven Years)• Oliver Cromwell rules

England/Scotland/Ireland– When Cromwell dies, his son Richard becomes

ruler but soon retired.– The throne is offered to Charles II(son of Charles I)

Charles II

• Charles II ruled under the Restoration. • Religion under Charles II– He was a Anglican and believed in religious toleration.– Parliament disagreed and passed the Clarendon Code.– The Clarendon Code required all clergymen to swear an

oath supporting the Anglican Church.• Secret Treaty with Louis XIV– Louis XIV helped England with the Dutch War of 1672– Charles II promised his conversion to Catholicism

• Charles II waited to convert until he was on his deathbed.

Charles II (CONT.)

• Charles II had no legitimate heir to succeed him.

• His brother (James II) would be next in line.• James II was Catholic!!!!• Anglican nobility are NOT happy about this.• The Anglican nobility fought over the issue of

succession. (Tories vs. Whigs)

Tories vs. Whigs

• Tories – supporters of Duke of York (James II)• Whigs – supporters of an Protestant monarch– John Locke was a political philosopher who

believed in the contractual theory of government.• contractual theory of government – government relied

on a contract between rulers and subjects

• James II becomes the next king of England.

James II

• James II’s heirs were his daughters Mary and Anne who were Protestants.

• James II promoted religious toleration. • He granted Catholics the right to worship.• He replaced his officers with Catholics due to

opposition in his courts.

James II (CONT.)

• In 1688, James II (age 55) had a son who would rule as James III.

• Protestants were furious because Mary and Anne (Protestants) were not heirs to the throne anymore. James III (Catholic) was now heir.

• Tories and Whigs asked Mary’s husband William to rise against James II and defend the Protestants of England. James II fled the country.

• William and Mary become rules of England in 1689.

Parliament

• Parliament reconvened in 1689– Agreed that because James II left the country, it means he

abdicated– Rule passed to the daughter of James II, Mary, and her

husband, William• Parliament was strengthened overall, but the subjects

were given many more rights– William and Mary accepted all the reforms willingly

• Reforms ended royal absolutism in the British Isles and brought a constitutional monarchy- monarch and Parliament ruled as partners

Changes made by Parliament• Passed the Bill of Rights which upheld the Whig view that the rulers ruled by

contract and not hereditary right• Declared cancelling Parliament is illegal• King can’t raise and army on his own• Subjects have the right to petition the government• Subjects have the right to have a jury trial, freedom from “cruel and unusual

punishment”, excessive bail, and excessive court fines• House of Commons was still voted for by small number of property owning males• Repealed oppressive portions of Clarendon Code with the Toleration Act- gave

religious tolerance to all but Unitarians• All office holders had to take Holy Communion in an Anglican Church

– Some dissenters took Anglican Communion once a year in order to hold an office– This angered Anglicans

• Royal judges are judges for life

King William and Queen Mary

• William agreed to rule with Mary in hopes of defeating Louis XIV by participating in the War of the League of Augsburg

• Reign of William and Mary began 25 years of war against France– Whigs supported the war– Tories didn’t like the rising land taxes• Both parties fought fiercely for election to sets in the

House of Commons

Succession and Scotland• When William and Mary died, the crown passed to James II’s

younger Protestant daughter, Anne• Anne had no heir, Parliament decided

– They voted that the line of succession would pass to the Protestant granddaughter of James I, Sophia

• Sophia died before Anne died, so Sophia’s son George became king• Scotland was still being ruled over by England

– Scotland was suffering from very bad economic and financial problems– 1707: Scotland agreed to the Act of Union which united Scotland and

England to create a united Britain• Events of this whole period were later referred to as the Glorious

Revolution because it kept the country Protestant and advanced Parliament

George I (r. 1714-1727)

• Elector of Hanover who became the king of Great Britain – Recognized to the British throne by the Treaty of Utrecht,

after defeating Louis XIV in war

• After George became king, James II led an uprising in Scotland as an attempt to regain the crown– After this failed the Whigs accused the up risers of

treason– Georges’ favor for the Whigs over was shown

Sir Robert Walpole (1676-1745)

• Leader of the Whigs and the most important minister in England (minister from 1721-1742)– Refused the king’s offer to ennoble him– Served George II after the death of George I– Under the rule of Walpole Britain had political

stability that was different from George I’s rule of turmoil

• British began to feel a new identity of being “free-born”

• After the defeat of James II in Ireland (1689), there was English dominance

• Current British political life: mixed monarchy- Protestant king ruled jointly with parliament