‘Am I not your uncle?’: John of Gaunt, the murder of Friar Latimer and the Salisbury Parliament of 1384

Recently on the History of Parliament blog we have been looking into some of the occasions when Parliament met away from Westminster. In April 1384 they gathered in Salisbury, but it was not the location that made the events of this session so interesting, as Dr Simon Payling from our Commons 1461-1504 project describes… The Parliament which was summoned to meet on 29 April 1384 … Continue reading ‘Am I not your uncle?’: John of Gaunt, the murder of Friar Latimer and the Salisbury Parliament of 1384

Social Distancing – Medieval Style: a Petition of the Commons in the Parliament of 1439

As discussions turn to how Parliament should operate during the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Hannes Kleineke, editor of our 1461-1504 section, looks at the parliament of 1439. When Henry VI reluctantly called Parliament back to Westminster during the ‘Black Death’, MPs had just one request… If the efforts to control the epidemic currently sweeping the world seem unprecedented to those living through them, to medieval Englishmen … Continue reading Social Distancing – Medieval Style: a Petition of the Commons in the Parliament of 1439

Yorkist Parliaments, but not at York

At the beginning of this week, the government sparked debate by announcing the possibility of relocating the House of Lords away from Westminster to the city of York. But this is not the first time that the city has been considered as a parliamentary host, as Dr Hannes Kleineke, editor of our Commons 1461-1504 section, explains… In the light of suggestions that the House of … Continue reading Yorkist Parliaments, but not at York

The 14th century origins of the parliamentary impeachment process

In light of recent proceedings in the United States, in our latest blog Dr Charles Moreton, senior research fellow with our medieval project, House of Commons 1461-1504, discusses the historic origins of impeachment in English parliaments… Thanks to the actions of Donald Trump’s political opponents in the United States, impeachment is very much in the news at the moment. It is therefore an opportune moment … Continue reading The 14th century origins of the parliamentary impeachment process

Medieval MP of the Month: Robert Hill (c.1391-1444) of Shilston, Devon.

Today’s blog is the second installment from our ‘Medieval MP of the Month’ series. In this post we hear from Senior Research Fellow Dr Hannes Kleineke about landed gentleman Robert Hill… THE HISTORY OF PARLIAMENT: THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 1422-1461, edited by Linda Clark, is out now. For further details about the volumes, including purchasing information, visit the Cambridge University Press website, here. While clashes over fishing stocks in … Continue reading Medieval MP of the Month: Robert Hill (c.1391-1444) of Shilston, Devon.