The English Civil War and Glorious Revolution
Parliament fought the king and won lasting limits on royal power.
About this topic
In the 1600s England struggled over who held power, king or Parliament. Charles I believed in the divine right of kings, raised taxes without Parliament's consent and clashed with Puritans over religion. The Petition of Right (1628) had tried to limit him. When he tried to arrest members of Parliament in 1642, civil war began between Royalists (Cavaliers) and Parliamentarians (Roundheads).
Parliament's New Model Army, led by Oliver Cromwell, won, and Charles I was tried and executed in 1649, an astonishing event for Europe. England became a republic called the Commonwealth, and Cromwell ruled as Lord Protector, harshly. After his death the monarchy returned with Charles II in 1660.
James II, a Catholic, alarmed Parliament, which invited his Protestant daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange to take the throne in 1688. James fled without a major fight, so it was called the Glorious (bloodless) Revolution. The English Bill of Rights (1689) said the monarch could not suspend laws, tax or keep an army without Parliament, and guaranteed free elections and rights such as no cruel punishments. This created a constitutional monarchy, which influenced John Locke and the American founders. Misconception: it was not total democracy, since only a small share of men could vote.
Key ideas
- Charles I executed 1649
- Cromwell's Commonwealth
- Bill of Rights 1689
Quick check
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Studying the past helps explain today’s politics, borders, cultures and institutions.
Frequently asked questions
What is The English Civil War and Glorious Revolution?
Parliament fought the king and won lasting limits on royal power.
What will I learn in The English Civil War and Glorious Revolution?
Charles I executed 1649. Cromwell's Commonwealth. Bill of Rights 1689.
Is The English Civil War and Glorious Revolution part of World History?
Yes. It is one of 80 World History topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
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Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
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