Democratic Developments in England

Chapter 1Section 5

Balance of Power – Medieval England

Monarchs Church Nobility

Monarchy held supreme power over church and nobility but church and nobility often competed for power

Feudalism During the early Middle Ages, European

monarchs needed protection from invasion from Vikings

In response to this need for security, a new system of rule known as feudalism evolved

In this system, lesser lords pledged their service and loyalty to greater lords, with the greatest lord—the king—at the top of the feudal pyramid

Feudalism

Development of Royal Power

Royal power continued to grow When William the Conquerer

became king of England, he had a census taken and used this information to build an efficient system of tax collecting

Later, during the reign of Henry II, judges traveled throughout England to enforce royal laws

Development of Royal Power

The decisions of these royal courts became the foundation of English common law (unwritten law based on custom or court decision, as distinct from statute law)

Unlike local feudal laws, common law applied to the whole of England

It standardized laws and punishments

Relations Between Monarchy, Nobles, and Church

English kings repeatedly clashed with nobles and the church, as each group tried to dominate in England

Out of those power struggles evolved new traditions of government

For example, the document called the Magna Carta contained two very important principles—that citizens had certain rights and that even the monarch must obey the law

As Parliament developed, it won the right to approve any new taxes

In this way, Parliament could “check”, or limit, the power of the monarch

Magna Carta (1215)

The Magna Carta is an English charter originally issued in 1215. Magna Carta was the most significant early influence on the extensive historical process that led to the rule of constitutional law today. Magna Carta influenced many common law and other documents, such as the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, and is considered one of the most important legal documents in the history of democracy.

Charles I Charles I became king in 1625 He ruled as an absolute monarch Charles I tried to dissolve Parliament and run

the government without it The struggle between Charles I and Parliament

became so great that a civil war erupted Parliament’s forces, led by Oliver Cromwell,

defeated the king’s troops After a trial, Charles I was executed—a clear

signal that no English ruler in the future could ignore the rule of law

Oliver Cromwell

William and Mary (Protestants)

After some later turmoil, Parliament offered the crown to William and Mary of Orange

Before they could be crowned, they had to accept the English Bill of Rights, which restated the traditional rights of English citizens, such as trial by jury

It also abolished cruel or unjust punishments and affirmed the principle of habeas corpus

William and MaryProtestant Monarchs of England

English Bill of Rights The English Bill of Rights established a type of

government called a limited monarchy English rulers had to obey the law and work

with Parliament These events in England’s history were

important to the development of democracy