Westminster in History

Edward's health deteriorates after the Northumbrian crisis and the collapse of his attempt to restore Tostig.

Edward remains seriously ill at Westminster as the year approaches its end.

Edward enters the final stage of his illness at Westminster, dying on 5 January 1066.

Edward remains at Westminster during midwinter while his new abbey church prepares for consecration.

Edward is too ill to attend the consecration of the Westminster church he had built.

Edward the Confessor dies without a direct heir and the English succession becomes contested

Edward the Confessor entrusts the kingdom to Harold on his deathbed, strengthening Harold's immediate claim to the throne.

Stephen is allowed to keep the throne under the condition that Henry become his heir

Henry Plantagenet becomes Stephens heir. Allows Stephen to remain King of England for life

Leads the Bishops in opposition to the Councils rulings

Birth of Henry III, eldest son of King John and Isabella of Angouleme

Birth of Henry III, eldest son of King John and Isabella of Angouleme

Crowned King of England after the deposition of Edward II

Simon Bircheston succeeds as Abbot of Westminster

William de Curlyngton dies after serving as Abbot of Westminster

Creates the Duchy of Cornwall for his heir Edward of Woodstock

Asserts his claim to the French crown against Philip VI

Issues labour controls after plague mortality disrupts wages and service

Restricts papal appointments to English church benefices

Parliament confirms wage and service controls after the Black Death

Defines high treason in English law

Goes into sanctuary during Edward's flight

While in sanctuary at Westminster refuses to reitre & become Queen Dowager

Elizabeth Woodville refuses to retire as Queen Dowager

Richard enters London with the future Edward V as his captive. Elizabeth seeks sanctuary at Westminster

Parliament under Richard III passes legal reforms later remembered for limiting arbitrary seizure and strengthening bail procedure.

Richard III's Parliament condemns forced benevolences, attacking a fiscal practice associated with Edward IV.

Richard III's first Parliament confirms the Titulus Regius, declaring Edward IV's children illegitimate and strengthening Richard's claim.

Richard III opens his first Parliament and seeks statutory recognition of his title.

Elizabeth Woodville leaves sanctuary after Richard III promises protection and marriage portions for her daughters.

Elizabeth and her daughters came out of sanctuary and return to court

Death of Anne Neville, probably of tuberculosis, at Westminster. The day she died, there was an eclipse, which some took to be an omen of her husbands fall from heavenly grace

Death of Anne Neville, probably of tuberculosis, at Westminster. The day she died, there was an eclipse, which some took to be an omen of her husbands fall from heavenly grace

Henry formally advances Arthur as Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, strengthening the visible Tudor succession.

Prince Arthur is made a Knight of the Bath as Henry prepares the heir for greater ceremonial and political prominence.

Henry VII's daughter Margaret is baptised and named after her grandmother Margaret Beaufort.

Prince Arthur is ceremonially invested as Prince of Wales at Westminster, confirming his status as heir apparent.

Henry's seventh and final Parliament opens at Westminster and deals with finance, law and control of retaining.

After Arthur's death, Henry VII formally creates his surviving son Henry Prince of Wales.

Concludes the Treaty of Westminster

Somerset is acquitted of high treason but convicted of felony after a trial at Westminster Hall.

Mary is crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey

Formally proclaimed Queen outside the Palace of Westminster

Elizabeth is formally proclaimed Queen outside Westminster

Elizabeth opens her first parliament to settle religion and succession

Government introduces legislation restoring royal authority over the English church

Gargrave presents Commons petition urging Elizabeth to marry and provide an heir

Elizabeth answers parliamentary pressure by refusing to be hurried into marriage

Act of Supremacy restores the crown's authority over the Church of England

Act of Uniformity restores a revised English prayer book

Supremacy legislation extends the oath to more office holders and professions

Poor relief legislation strengthens local responsibility for the poor

Statute of Artificers regulates labour apprenticeships wages and service

An Act against conjurations enchantments and witchcraft is passed

Williams is chosen Speaker of the House of Commons

Parliament petitions Elizabeth to marry or name a successor

Elizabeth opens her second Parliament amid concern over religion succession and foreign war

Bacon addresses Parliament and stresses the shortage of learned ministers

Birth of Robert Cecil future Earl of Salisbury and chief minister

Orders that Marys trial be moved to Westminster

Admitted as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas

Chosen Speaker of the House of Commons in the Parliament of 1584

Wentworth promoted a constitutional compromise that contributed to the Petition of Right.

Glynne is elected for Westminster and becomes active in legal proceedings.

The Lords ordered Strafford into custody after the Commons delivered its impeachment accusation.

Pym leads the parliamentary case when Strafford's public trial begins.

Charles attends proceedings against his chief minister, the Earl of Strafford.

Charles attends proceedings against his chief minister, the Earl of Strafford.

Holles is one of the five Commons members sought by Charles I during the failed arrest attempt at Westminster.

Pym avoids arrest when Charles I enters the House of Commons seeking five leading opponents of royal policy.

Pym dies at Derby House in Westminster after serving as one of Parliament's most influential wartime political leaders.

Cromwell is exempted from resignation pressure and continues military service with Parliament's army.

Pride's troops arrest dozens of MPs during the purge that leaves the reduced House later known as the Rump Parliament.

Pride excludes MPs considered hostile to the army and clears the way for the king's trial.

Pride stations soldiers outside the Commons and begins excluding members considered likely to continue negotiations with Charles I.

Pride is appointed among the commissioners of the High Court established to try Charles I for high treason.

Lilburne and the Leveller movement press the revised Agreement of the People as a proposed written constitution, but Parliament does not adopt it as the national settlement

Bradshaw presides over the High Court of Justice during the trial of Charles I.

Elizabeth Lilburne helps lead Leveller women petitioners demanding the release of imprisoned Leveller leaders and asserting that women also have an interest in the liberties of the Commonwealth

Cromwell became Lord Protector under the written constitution called the Instrument of Government.

Concludes peace with the Dutch Republic, ending the First Anglo-Dutch War

Advises within the Protectorate political settlement during the Parliament

Supports Cromwellian interests during the Protectorate Parliament

Joins critics of the Protectorate settlement in Parliament

Opposes Cromwellian constitutional arrangements in the Protectorate Parliament

Challenges the Protectorate's constitutional basis

Sits in the first Protectorate Parliament during debates over the regime

Supports the Protectorate cause in the first Parliament

The first Protectorate Parliament meets for the first time

Serves as Speaker when the First Protectorate Parliament assembles

Cromwell opened the First Protectorate Parliament under the new constitutional system.

Addresses the first Protectorate Parliament at its inaugural meeting

Tells Parliament that sovereignty is not a mere feather in the hat

Defends the constitutional settlement connected with the Instrument of Government

Supports the Protectorate regime during parliamentary conflict over recognition

Cromwell opened the Second Protectorate Parliament.

Widdrington presented the Humble Petition and Advice offering Cromwell a revised constitution.

Richard opened the Third Protectorate Parliament amid conflict with army officers.

Many former Royalists and moderate Parliamentarians accept that restoring the Stuarts can secure order.

The Convention Parliament increasingly accepts the return of Charles II as the route to political stability.

Monck secured the readmission of members excluded during Pride's Purge.

The secluded members return to Parliament and Monck is confirmed as commander in chief.

Monck restores the members excluded in Pride's Purge, allowing them to outvote the Rump.

The restored Long Parliament dissolves itself after Monck supports elections for a new Parliament.

Lenthall presided as the restored Long Parliament dissolved itself and called elections.

Monck's political settlement allows a new Parliament to meet with Lords and Commons.

Monck's pressure for a free Parliament helps make the Convention Parliament possible.

Grimston serves as Speaker when the Convention Parliament assembles to settle the return of monarchy.

Grimston is chosen Speaker as the Convention Parliament assembles to settle the Restoration.

The Convention Parliament assembles to decide the constitutional settlement and the restoration terms.

Holles supports the Commons vote welcoming Charles II's Declaration of Breda.

Grenville delivers copies of the Declaration of Breda and Charles II's letters to Parliament.

Monck helps bring the Declaration of Breda before Parliament as the Restoration settlement advances.

The Declaration of Breda is read to Parliament and becomes the basis for Charles II's return.

Holles supports the Convention Parliament's move toward restoring monarchy under negotiated terms.

Annesley supports the Convention Parliament as it proclaims Charles II lawful king.

Parliament proclaims that Charles II has been lawful king since the execution of Charles I.

Ireton is attainted after death as one of the leading figures of the regicide regime.

Bradshaw is attainted after death for presiding over the trial of Charles I.

Cromwell is attainted after death for his central role in the Commonwealth and regicide settlement.

Charles II dissolves the Convention Parliament after it completes the initial Restoration settlement.

Charles II dissolves the Convention Parliament after it has prepared the Restoration settlement.

Charles II opens the Cavalier Parliament, beginning a long royalist-dominated session.

Charles II opens the Cavalier Parliament, which consolidates the restored monarchy.

The Cavalier Parliament assembles and begins consolidating the restored monarchy.

Clarendon guides royal policy as the Cavalier Parliament begins reshaping the Restoration settlement.

Clarendon supports the king's programme as the Cavalier Parliament begins its work.

Turnor serves as Speaker of the House of Commons in the Cavalier Parliament.

Turnor is chosen Speaker of the House of Commons for the Cavalier Parliament.

Turnor is appointed Speaker of the House of Commons in the Cavalier Parliament.

Clarendon's ministry backs the Corporation Act as part of the Restoration settlement.

Turnor presides over the Commons during the Parliament that passes the Corporation Act.

Clarendon's ministry accepts the hearth tax as part of the financial settlement for the crown.

Clarendon supports tighter control of printing during the Restoration settlement.

Ashley-Cooper supports fiscal and commercial policy tied to colonial trade regulation.

Clarendon's ministry supports trade regulation under the Navigation Acts.

Ashley-Cooper participates in government as Parliament reshapes the rules for future sessions.

Presides over the Commons during the Parliament that passes the Triennial Parliaments Act.

Parliament advances religious uniformity by restricting conventicles and dissenting worship.

The Restoration government strengthens Anglican conformity through measures later called the Clarendon Code.

The Peace of Westminster ends the Third Anglo-Dutch War, removing England from the coalition fighting the Dutch Republic and improving the strategic position of William III of Orange.

Approves the repeal of the unpopular hearth tax with William III

Approves the repeal of the unpopular hearth tax in the first year of the new reign

The Convention Parliament first meets to resolve the throne and rights settlement

The Convention Parliament assembled to determine the constitutional settlement.

The Commons resolved that James had abdicated and that the throne was vacant.

The Convention resolves that James II has abdicated, clearing the constitutional path for William III of Orange and Mary to receive the crown.

Helps draft the Declaration of Rights for the Convention Parliament

Shares in the new constitutional settlement limiting standing-army authority

Accepts Parliament's annual control over military discipline through the Mutiny Act

Gives royal assent with William III to the Toleration Act

Gives royal assent to the Toleration Act protecting many Protestant dissenters

Gives royal assent with William III to the Bill of Rights

Gives royal assent with Mary II to the Bill of Rights

Robert Harley emerges as a key Tory manager in the House of Commons.

Charles Montagu remains a leading Whig figure during disputes over finance and succession.

Robert Harley is chosen Speaker of the House of Commons.