Revolution that marks the transition from feudalism to capitalism in Britain, 1642 - 1651.
The transition from feudalism to capitalism brought about a change of government. Many countries abolished the monarchy and introduced a republic; others replaced the absolute monarchy by a constitutional monarchy, in wich political power is in the hands of a parliament.
Charles I, who had been crowned king of Great Britain and Ireland in 1625, was determined to exercise power as an absolute monarch, responsible to no one but God. His opposition to Puritan faith brought him in conflict with parliament, which refused him the traditional royal right to levy customs duties.
The conflict soon moved from religious opposition to issues of political power. Charles dissolved the Parliament in 1626. When it met again in March 1628 it presented the king with a "Petition of Right", which asked for gurantees on four principles:
The raising of customes duties continued, however, and when Parliament met again in January 1629 it passed resolutions condemning the king's conduct. Charles dissolved Parliament and did not call it into sesson again for 11 years. In 1634 he introduced "ship money", a levy collected from port cities to finance his navy.
The introduction of ship money collection in inland towns brought widespread resistance in 1638. When the king called Parliament into session in April 1640 to raise money for a war with Scotland the Parliament wanted to discuss its grievances with the government instead and was promptly dissolved. But the war did not go well, and the king summoned Parliament again in November.
The new Parliament forced the king to agree to the Triennial Act, which prescribed meetings of Parliament every three years, and impeached the lord deputy in Ireland for treason (he was beheaded on 12 May 1641). Charles also had to agree that henceforth Parliament could only be dissolved with its own consent. Ship money and other taxes were declared illegal.
While agreeing to these measure the king tried to raise support against the Parliament in Scotland. On his return he was presented in November 1641 with a "Grand Remonstrance", passed in January by 159 to 148 votes, which listed all the problems created by his reign.
When the Irish rose against English rule in the following year, Parliament feared that a new army would eventually be used against it. In June the King was given Nineteen Propositions, which included
The king refused, and both sides began preparations for war. The Civil War, sometimes also called the "Great Rebellion", began in 1642. After several years of indecisive battles Charles was kidnapped in 1647, which brought the First Civil War to an end. But the king escaped to the Isle of Wight, from where he made contact with a Scottish group to raise new support. This sparked the Second Civil War of 1648, which brought final victory for the Parliamentary forces led by Cromwell. Britain became a republic established as a Commonwealth. Charles was put to trial and executed in January 1649. His son Charles II, who had the support of Irish and Scottish royalists and had been crowned in Scotland, was defeated in 1651 and fled the country.
The republic did not last in Great Britain, but the Commonwealth continued as the form of government, and the role of Parliament was consolidated by the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688.