A parliament is an assembly of people that passes laws and approves taxes.

Kings and Queens had always taken advice from the most important noble families. But in the 13th century, the barons and richer merchants wanted to have more of a say in decision making. Some opposed King Henry III leading to civil war - the Barons' War (1264-1267). The leader of the barons, Simon de Montfort, organised the landmark Parliament of 1265. In order to increase his support, he invited representatives from towns and counties - this led to the idea of the Commons as well as the Lords.

After defeating Simon de Montfort, Henry III decided to keep this new format of assembly, as did his son Edward I when he became king. In 1295 Edward summoned Parliament to raise money for a war against France. This became known as the Model Parliament, with two main parts: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons included representatives from each county (the knights) and from each town (burgesses). They represented the interests of common people, providing them with a platform to voice their concerns, while the House of Lords included influential and wealthy figures such as nobles and bishops.

Parliament grew in importance, but it could still be ignored or even dismissed by the monarch. By the 1500s, although Henry VIII was seen as a powerful king who usually got his own way, the status of Parliament grew throughout his rule as he used it to pass his controversial changes to the religion of England, known as the Reformation, and to confirm the succession (who would be king or queen after he died).

Year 8 Power & Protest

The First Parliaments