Category: Stuart

Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Charles I, James I, Parliamentary Life, Religious history, Stuart

‘The strangest bill that ever I heard…’: Bishop Joseph Hall, the Church of England and the Long Parliament, 1640-1642

Dr Vivienne Larminie explores the political career of one of the most influential mid-seventeenth century bishops As the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Act of April 2026 reminds us, the composition of the Upper House has long been the subject of debate. One element of this has concerned the presence of faith leaders in general and of Church of England bishops in particular. This may … Continue reading ‘The strangest bill that ever I heard…’: Bishop Joseph Hall, the Church of England and the Long Parliament, 1640-1642

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Conferences, Seminars and Events, 17th Century history, History of Parliament Trust, Religious history, Stuart

Between Parliament and king: the politics of Convocation in early Stuart England

At the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on Tuesday 2 June, Professor Eloise Davies of the University of Florida, will be discussing the politics of convocation in early Stuart England. The seminar takes place on 2 June 2026, between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. You can attend online via Zoom. Details of how to join the discussion are available here. The history of Convocation, the traditional … Continue reading Between Parliament and king: the politics of Convocation in early Stuart England

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The First Elizabethan Age, 16th Century history, 17th Century history, Charles II, Henry VIII, Parliamentary Life, Stuart, Tudor

Processing to Parliament for the state opening in early modern England

Ceremonial processions were a key feature of the state opening of Parliament in the Tudor and early Stuart eras, just as they are today, but the form they took was very different from current practice, as Dr Paul Hunneyball of our Elizabethan Lords project explains… No modern state opening of Parliament would be complete without the impressive sight of the monarch travelling by coach from … Continue reading Processing to Parliament for the state opening in early modern England

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Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Charles I, Factions, Health and Medicine, Military history, Parliamentary Life, Stuart

The Politics of Illness, Part 1: Francis Russell, 4th earl of Bedford, 1640-1

In the first of a short series, Dr Patrick Little of the 1640-60 Lords section,  discusses how illness undermined a compromise between Charles I and his opponents in Parliament in the early months of the Long Parliament. Francis Russell, 4th earl of Bedford, is well-known as the originator of the so-called ‘bridge appointments’ scheme, a compromise agreement in the winter of 1640-1 which would have seen Charles … Continue reading The Politics of Illness, Part 1: Francis Russell, 4th earl of Bedford, 1640-1

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Stuart, 18th Century history, Legislative History, Queen Anne, Scottish History

England, Scotland and the Treaty of Union, 1706-08

In 1707, under the terms of the Treaty of Union, England and Scotland became a single state – the United Kingdom of Great Britain – and the parliaments at Westminster and Edinburgh were replaced by a single ‘Parliament of Great Britain’. The arrangements for establishing the new parliament were set out in Article 22 of the Treaty. The wording of the Treaty made no mention … Continue reading England, Scotland and the Treaty of Union, 1706-08

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Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Charles I, Legislative History, Oliver Cromwell, Stuart

The Baronial Context of the 1641 Triennial Act

Dr David Scott, Editor of the 1640-60 House of Lords section, explores the role of the peers in securing the right of Parliament to meet regularly. The Triennial Act of February 1641 was the first piece of legislation passed by the ‘Long Parliament’ in its momentous thirteen-year history of reform, rule and, in 1649, regicide. Of course, none of the peers and MPs who had … Continue reading The Baronial Context of the 1641 Triennial Act

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Stuart, 17th Century history, Parliamentary Life

The passing of the bill of attainder against the Jacobite Sir John Fenwick

On 25 November 1696 the House of Commons, after a bitter series of debates, finally passed a bill that would result in the execution of the Northumbrian baronet Sir John Fenwick, for treason in January 1697. As Dr Paul Seaward explores, this was a death that was seen by many as politically-driven murder. Fenwick’s case was one of the consequences of the deposition of the … Continue reading The passing of the bill of attainder against the Jacobite Sir John Fenwick

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History of Parliament Trust, 17th Century history, 18th Century history, Art, Fashion and Material Culture, Buildings and Architecture, Factions, George III, Georgian, Georgian Lords, James II, Local History, Margaret Thatcher, Mary II, Military history, Parties, Stuart, William III, William Pitt the Younger

‘Confirmation of the People’s Rights’: commemorating the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688

For many, the beginning of November means the advent of longer nights as the year winds down to Christmas. Some may still enjoy attending firework displays marking the failure of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot. In November 1788, though, serious efforts were made to establish a lasting memorial to the Revolution of 1688, whose centenary was celebrated nationwide. However, as Dr Robin Eagles shows, no one … Continue reading ‘Confirmation of the People’s Rights’: commemorating the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688

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Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Art, Fashion and Material Culture, Charles I, History of Parliament Trust, Stuart

John Robartes, 2nd Baron Robartes of Truro (later earl of Radnor): reading in the revolution

In this guest article, Dr Sophie Aldred, lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of Oxford, explores the library of Lord Robartes and what it tells us of his political position during the revolutionary years of the 1640s. Variously described as of an ‘unsociable nature and impetuous disposition’, ‘sour’, ‘surly’, and a ‘destroyer of every body’s business’, John Robartes, 2nd Baron Robartes of Truro … Continue reading John Robartes, 2nd Baron Robartes of Truro (later earl of Radnor): reading in the revolution

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Georgian Lords, 14th Century history, 15th Century History, 16th Century history, 17th Century history, 18th Century history, 19th Century history, 20th century history, Art, Fashion and Material Culture, Buildings and Architecture, Constituencies, Edward VI, Elections, Elizabeth I, George I, George III, Georgian, Henry VII, History of Parliament Trust, James II, John Stuart, 3rd earl of Bute, Local History, Medieval, Oliver Cromwell, Religious history, Stuart, Tudor

Descended from a giant: the Worsleys of Hovingham

The recent death of HRH the Duchess of Kent, who was married to the late queen’s cousin at York Minister in 1961, reminds us of her family’s long association with Yorkshire. This has included two brothers who served as archbishop of York and several members of her family who were elected to Parliament. Dr Robin Eagles considers the Worsley family’s connection with the north of … Continue reading Descended from a giant: the Worsleys of Hovingham

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