- •General information about the political system of the uk
- •Looking back at the past
- •Monarchy
- •English Monarchs
- •Scottish Monarchs
- •Parliament
- •Present-day situation
- •The monarchy
- •Her Majesty the Queen
- •The role of the Sovereign
- •The Public Attitude towards the royal family
- •Modern Parliament
- •The Commons
- •The Lords
- •External links and literature
Scottish Monarchs
The Scottish Crown has a long and complex history. From a number of local rulers governing separate territories and peoples, a single king emerged by the beginning of the twelfth century to govern most of what is today's Scotland.
The thirteenth century was a time of instability for the Scottish Crown in the face of internal fighting and the Wars of Independence with England.
A sense of nationhood and a stable monarchical succession began to develop from the fourteenth century onwards, culminating in the Stewart dynasty.
In 1603 a member of this dynasty, King James VI, succeeded to the English Crown. King James VI of Scotland became James I of England as well. The Union of the Crowns was followed by the Union of the Parliaments in 1707. In 1707, the Act of Union was passed. Under this agreement, the Scottish parliament was dissolved and some of its members joined the English and Welsh parliament in London and the former two kingdoms became one “United Kingdom of Great Britain”.
Then, in 1801, in order to increase British control Ireland was united with Britain and the Dublin parliament was closed. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland lasted for 120 years until Ireland was divided in 1921.
England's Royal History
The Anglo-Saxons
Reigned from the 5th century AD to 1066
Alfred the Great and other kings
The Normans
Reigned 1066-1154
William I, William II, Henry I, Stephen
The Angevins
Reigned 1154-1216
Henry II, Richard I, John
The Plantagenets
Reigned 1216-1399
Henry III, Edward I, Edward II,
Edward III, Richard II
The Lancastrians
Reigned 1399-1461
Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI
(Henry VI restored in 1470 but deposed again in 1471)
The Yorkists
Reigned 1461-1485
Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III
(Edward IV deposed in 1470, restored in 1471)
The Tudors
Reigned 1485-1603
Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI,
Jane Grey, Mary I, Elizabeth I
The Stuarts
Reigned 1603-1649
Monarchy abolished in 1649, restored in 1660
Stuarts reigned 1660-1714
James I, Charles I
Charles II, James II,
William III and Mary II,Anne
The Hanoverians
Reigned 1714-1901
George I, George II, George III,
George IV, William IV, Victoria
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
Reigned 1901-1910
Edward VII
The Windsors
Reigned 1910-Today
George V, Edward VIII, George VI, Elizabeth II
Parliament
And now some words about the establishment of Parliament should be said. The first attempt to limit the Sovereign’s power resulted in Magna Carta (the Great Charter). It was written in 1215 by nobles, barons and other reach people of England, and they forced Prince John Lackland (r.1199 – 1216) to sign it. That time is believed to be the beginning of the parliamentary system as the king has had limited power since then.
The Great Charter was an important symbol of political freedom. The king promised all “freemen” protection from his officers, and the right to a fair and legal trial. Nobles established a committee of twenty-four lords to make sure John kept his promises. This so-called House of Lords also controlled all the expenses of the king and gave him money on his projects.
Then John’s son, Henry III, wanted to be independent from the nobles’ influence. Understanding the situation, the nobles acted like a class under the leadership of Simon de Montfort, earl of Leicester. In 1258 they took over the government and elected a council of nobles. De Montfort called it a “parliament”, a French word meaning a “discussion meeting”. This parliament took control of the treasury and also it was supported by the towns, which wished to be free of Henry’s heavy taxes.
Edward I, Henry’s son, created a “representative institution” which could provide the money he needed, as nobles were not interested in raising taxes and the king’s income was getting lower and lower. This institution became the House of Commons (1275). Unlike the House of Lords it contained a mixture of “gentry” (knights and other wealthy freemen) and merchants.
During the 150 years following Edward’s death the agreement of the Commons became necessary for the making of all statutes, and all special taxation additional to regular taxes.