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| 0900 | Edward the Elder |  |
| England is divided into shires, with county courts to safeguard civil rights |
| 0937 | Athelstan | |
| Establishes the "Kingdom of England" |
| 1017 | Canute I | |
| Divides England into four Earldoms |
| 1100 | Henry I | |
| Henry I tackles abuses of royal power by his predecessor, his brother William Rufus , specifically the over-taxation of the barons, the abuse of vacant sees, and the practices of simony and pluralism |
| 1164 | Becket, Thomas a | |
| Canterbury Refuses to seal the Constitutions of Clarendon |
| 1164 | Henry II | |
| London The Constitutions of Clarendon place limitations on the clergy |
| Clarendon The legal rights of the Church & State are codified at the Council of Clarendon |
| 1213 | John | |
| St Albans The English Parliament has its beginnings in the Council of St Albans |
| 1215 | Bohun, Humphrey de | |
| Helps obtain the Magna Carta from King John |
| 1215 | Clare | |
| 1 of 25 barons entrusted with carrying out the Magna Carter |
| 1215 | Clare, Gilbert de | |
| 1 of 25 barons entrusted with carrying out the Magna Carter |
| 1215 | John | |
| London Allows London to annually elect a Mayor |
| London Appeals to the Pope for the abolition of the Magna Carter |
| 6th Jan The Barons demand confirmation of the charter of Henry I |
| 6th Jan The Barons demand confirmation of the Laws of Edward the Confessor , John delays |
| June Imports foreign mercenaries to fight the barons |
| June Runnymede John gets Pope Innoccent III to issue a Papal bull against the Magna Carter |
| June London The Magna Carter remains the basis of English feudal justice |
| 15th June Runnymede John meets the Barons & agrees the 1st draft of the "Charter of Liberties" |
| 15th June Runnymede The Magna Carter confirms priveliges in the accession charter signed by Henry I |
| 19th June London 25 barons are appointed to oversee the working of the Magna Carter |
| 19th June London The Magna Carter confirms the rights of the Church & Barons |
| 1215 | Langton, Stephen | |
| 15th June Canterbury John stamps the Royal Seal on the Magna Carter on the island of Runnymede near Windsor |
| 1215 | Warenne | |
| Acts as one of King John's guarantors for the Magna Carta |
| 1216 | Marshal, William | |
| London The Magana Carter is reissued after Henry III's coronation |
| 1217 | Marshal, William | |
| London The 1216 version of the Magna Carter is reissued |
| 1219 | Roches, Peter Des | |
| Marshal dies & rule passes to 3 men, Hubert de Burgh, Peter des Roches & Pandulf |
| 1223 | Henry III | |
| London Dismisses Castellans & Sheriffs who have held their rights since John |
| 1225 | Henry III | |
| London Men can be exiled, imprisoned & deprived of property only by their peers or the law |
| London The Magna Carter is re-issued, this version becomes the official text |
| 1237 | Henry III | |
| London A revised version of the Magna Carter is issued |
| 1253 | Henry III | |
| London A revised version of the Magna Carter is issued |
| 1254 | Henry III | |
| 12th June Oxford An oath must be taken to support the constitution |
| 12th June Oxford Parliament must be called 3 times a yr |
| 1254 | Montfort, Simon de | |
| 11th Feb 1st example of elected representatives meeting to discuss taxation |
| 11th Feb 2 knights are summoned to represent each shire to discuss taxation |
| 1258 | Edward I | |
| Oxford Holds "parleys" with his Barons on the Baronial Council, the 1st Parliaments |
| 1258 | Henry III | |
| 12th June Henry & the Barons must take an oath to observe the Provisions of Oxford |
| 12th June Oxford Parliament will be held 3 times a yr & the households of the king and queen reformed |
| 12th June Oxford Under the Provisions of Oxford Parliament will be held 3 times a yr & the households of the King and Queen reformed |
| 1261 | Henry III | |
| Fails to reach agreement with Simon de Montfort |
| 1264 | Henry III | |
| De Montfort calls up a pre-Parliament |
| 15th May Forced to accept de Montfort's conditions & the rule of the Barons |
| 1265 | Henry III | |
| 20th Jan For the 1st time England is represented in a single chamber at Westminster Hall |
| 1265 | Montfort, Simon de | |
| 20th Jan Convenes the opening of Parliament which includes commoners for the 1st time |
| 1267 | Edward I | |
| Re-enacts the Provisions of Westminster of 1259 by issuing the Statute of Malborough |
| 1274 | Edward I | |
| Oxford From 1274-1286 holds 2 Parliaments per year, the Easter & Michaelmas Parliaments |
| 1275 | Edward I | |
| April Begins reforms which over a 20 yrs establish the foundation of a formal parliament |
| 1279 | Peckham, John | |
| Canterbury Instructs a new copy of the Magna Carter be nailed up annually in every major church |
| 1294 | Edward I | |
| Edward I opens Parliament which consists of the church, barons, shires & burghs |
| 1297 | Edward I | |
| Forced to confirm the Magna Carter & the Charter of the Forest |
| 1303 | Edward I | |
| Scotland is allowed its own laws & customs & an amnesty announced |
| 1304 | Edward I | |
| Mar The Scots lords meet in parliament at St. Andrews , under the direction of Edward I, and until a onstitution could be established Robert Bruce of Carrick and Bishop Wishart were appointed dual Guardians |
| 1305 | Edward I | |
| Scotland is given representation in the English Parliament |
| Sep Guided by Wishart, Edward frames his 'Ordinances for the establishment of the Land of Scotland', proposing a government of twenty Englishmen and ten elected representatives of Scottish estates |
| 1308 | Edward II | |
| 25th Feb Westminster Abbey New coronation oath binds the King to keep laws passed by consent of the realm |
| 1310 | Edward II | |
| 16th Mar Agrees to the election of 21 Lords ordainers to reform household & government |
| 16th Mar Parliament sets up a committee of 28 barons who rule the country, Lords Ordainers |
| 1311 | Edward II | |
| Choices of officers of State are granted to the Barons |
| 1312 | Lancaster, Thomas of | |
| Lancaster forces Edward II to surrender powers to the 21 Lords Ordainers |
| 1314 | Edward II | |
| Sep York The Ordinances of 1311 are put into effect, with Thomas replacing the king's ministers and sheriffs with his own nominees |
| 1316 | Edward II | |
| Lincoln The Lincoln Parliament declares "that the lord king should do nothing grave or arduous without the advice of the council, and that the Earl of Lancaster should hold the chief place in the council" |
| 1318 | Edward II | |
| York A Parliament at York confirms the treaty of Leek, the Ordinances are confirmed once more and a new council of seventeen appointed, including eight bishops, four earls, four barons, and one banneret |
| 1318 | Valence, Aymer de | |
| A Parliament at York confirms the treaty of Leek, the Ordinances are confirmed once more and a new council of seventeen appointed, including eight bishops, four earls, four barons, and one banneret |
| 1422 | Humphrey | |
| London Appointed to rule over England at the head of a council |
| 1494 | Poynings, Edward | |
| 1st Dec Drogheda All Irish laws must be approved by the Privy Council |
| 1523 | More, Thomas | |
| Makes the 1st request by a Speaker for freedom of speech in the House of Commons |
| 1529 | Henry VIII | |
| 4th Nov London Parliament meets to begin a programme of Church reform that lasts until 1536 |
| 1530 | Henry VIII | |
| London Foxe & Cranmer justify the supremacy of the sovereign |
| London Foxe & Cranmer justify the the usurpation of papal jurisdiction |
| 1532 | Cromwell | |
| The Act of Appeals is passed, the King is to exercise authority through Parliament |
| 1532 | Cromwell, Thomas | |
| London The Act of Appeals is passed, the King is to exercise authority through Parliament |
| 1535 | Henry VIII | |
| 22nd June Appointed Supreme Head of the Church |
| 1536 | Henry VIII | |
| London The Privy Council replaces the King's Council |
| 1546 | Henry VIII | |
| 26th Dec London The Regency Council will rule by majority, there is no provision for a Protector |
| 1593 | Elizabeth I | |
| London Asserts that MPs must not override her in foreign & religious affairs |
| 1610 | Coke, Edward | |
| Decides that the Kings Proclamation cannot change the law |
| 1615 | Coke, Edward | |
| Defends the Common Law Courts against the Chancellor's rights to interfere in them |
| 1621 | James I | |
| London Claims the right to punish any MP who commits a "misdemeanor" |
| 3rd Dec London Tells Parliament "not to meddle with anything concerning government" |
| 1638 | Charles I | |
| Berwick Charles I concedes the Scottish right to free church assembly and a free parliament |
| 24th Nov Glasgow Charles ' commissioner try to close the Assembly but they are ignored |
| 1640 | Charles I | |
| 11th June Edinburgh Scotland declares its votes can become acts without the King's assent |
| 3rd Nov The Long Parliament votes that Parliament cannot be dissolved without its consent |
| 1641 | Charles I | |
| 16th Feb Provides for minimum 50 day sessions of Parliament which must be called every 3 yrs |
| 16th Feb Signs the Triennial Act, Parliament must meet every 3 yrs |
| May The Triennial Act permits Parliament to assemble every 3 yrs without royal initiative |
| 11th May Parliament cannot be dissolved against its will |
| Aug Edinburgh Forced to grant the Scottish Parliament stronger controls than Westminster |
| 27th Nov Charles I must accept the Grand Remonstrance and allow circulation of its copies, a document that outlines the crimes that officials had accused Charles of committing during his reign |
| 1641 | Hopton | |
| 25th Nov Sir Ralph Hopton presents Charles I with the Grand Remonstrance |
| 1641 | Pym, John | |
| 8th Nov The King must use counsellors & ministers approved by Parliament |
| 1642 | Charles I | |
| Rejects the 19 Propositions from "raisers of sedition & enemies to my sovereign power" |
| 13th Feb Assents to a Bill excluding Bishops from the House of Lords |
| 1st June The Houses of Parliament agree the 19 Propositions to rule without the King |
| 1647 | Lilburne, John | |
| A radical group within the New Model Army, the Levellers , calls for constitutional reform |
| 1648 | Cromwell, Oliver | |
| Agrees Parliament's decision to cease constitutional negotiations with the King |
| Before the execution of Charles I the Commons makes itself the highest body |
| Fails to persuade Charles to accept Constitutional limitations on monarchy |
| 1648 | Pride, Thomas | |
| 6th Dec London Expels 140 Presbyterians & Royalists from Parliament, creating the rump Parliament |
| 1649 | Cromwell, Oliver | |
| 14th Feb A Council of State becomes an executive over the House of Commons |
| Mar The House of Lords is abolished |
| Mar The monarchy is abolished |
| 19th Mar The Commons abolishes the House of Lords , against Cromwell's will |
| 19th May Parliament declares England a commonwealth with supreme authority in the Commons |
| 1649 | Fairfax, Thomas | |
| 15th Nov Calls for the trial of the King, the abolition of the Army |
| 15th Nov Cals for the adoption of the Leveller programme |
| 1651 | Cromwell, Oliver | |
| 17th Mar The Monarchy is abolished |
| 19th Mar The House of Lords is abolished, Cromwell wished to keep it as an advisory body |
| Dec Decides it is necessary for a "settlement of the nation" & a constitution |
| 1652 | Owen, John | |
| Heads a committee to discuss what form a new constitution could take |
| 1653 | Cromwell, Oliver | |
| 19th April Cromwell holds a conference to discuss a new provisional government |
| 20th April The Council of State is dissolved, the army is left in power |
| 16th Dec Cromwell accepts the position of Lord Protector |
| 1654 | Cromwell, Oliver | |
| 18th Nov Calls sovereignty, "a feather in the hat" |
| 1655 | Cromwell, Oliver | |
| Begins the Major-Generals' military rule in districts throughout England |
| 1657 | Cromwell, Oliver | |
| 26th May Dunkirk Cromwell is installed as Lord Protector under a new constitution |
| 1658 | Cromwell, Oliver | |
| 11th Mar The Upper House will consist of 70 members nominated by Cromwell |
| 11th June An Upper House is established by a Bill passed by Parliament |
| 1658 | Packe, Christopher | |
| Presents the "Humble Petition & Advice" to the Commons to the Monarchy & the Lords |
| 1659 | Cromwell, Richard | |
| 7th May 42 survivors of Cromwell's dissolution issue a declaration establishing a "commonwealth without a King, single person or Lords |
| 1659 | Lambert, John | |
| 13th Oct Lambert expells the Rump Parliament & institutes military rule through a Committee of Safety |
| 1660 | Monck, George | |
| Parliament is dissolved, the Council of State draws up terms for a restored Charles |
| 25th April The Convention Parliament is elected on the traditional franchise & made up of both Lords and Commons. |
| 1689 | Mary II | |
| The Bill of Rights declares that the Sovereign could not punish members of either House of Parliament for anything said during debates, require excessive bail or inflict cruel or unusual punishments |
| The Bill of Rights declares that the Sovereign could not raise a standing army during peacetime without parliamentary consent, deny the right to bear arms to Protestant subjects or unduly interfere with parliamentary elections |
| The Bill of Rights declares that the Sovereign could not suspend laws passed by Parliament, levy taxes without parliamentary consent or infringe the right to petition |
| 1689 | Somers | |
| Helps draft the Declaration of Rights |
| 1689 | William III | |
| The monarchy must abide by the consent of Parliament & not suspend its laws |
| William III & Mary II are made joint monarchs |
| William & Mary accept the Declaration of Rights |
| 1702 | Anne | |
| Calls up the Scottish Estates to name a successor but dissolves it & calls elections |
| 1703 | Anne | |
| 3rd Feb Dissolves the Scottish Estates & calls for elections |
