Modern English Democracy Essay

The modern English democracy is credited to a plentiful and several historical events. The death of Prince Arthur led to the emanation of Magna Carta, Followed by the first and second baron’s revolts which lead to the raise of parliament and participation of common people in it. The impact of those events is the main reason that turned the authority from The House of Lords to The House of Commons. Richard the Lion heart deputed Prince Arthur to be his successor in ruling England in a will worded before proceeding to the Third Crusade. When Richard died the throne was seized by John the youngest son of Henry II. The King of France and the French nobility refused to accept John as a king. King John launched an invasion of France in 1202.

In November 1236, Henry III promulgated a law to embark a 'parliament'. That was the very first time to use that term so it is considered to be the birth of parliament. The real reason behind initiation of the parliament was to endow the king with taxation. The parliament was made up of the king's closest advisors but because of the Magna Carta’s principle of common approval to such impositions pressure was increased on the king to summon representatives from the counties, the ‘commons’. King Henry III was corrupted like his father, he asked for taxes on regular bases to fund his military expenditure. This led to the second Barons revolt chaired by Simon de Montfort. Thereafter, Simon de Montfort became de facto ruler of England. He claimed that every country should elect 2 knights to be their representatives in the parliament and that was the first call for an elected parliament in medieval Europe. Therefore he is considered to be one of the instigators of modern parliamentary democracy. Later he was killed by forces loyal to King Henry III. King's Henry III eldest son Prince Edward became king. He adhered to the same idea of Simon de Montfort and invited knights to the great council to listen to their problems and ask for their approvals. He divided the parliament into two houses; the House of Lords where the nobility met and the House of Commons where knights