Development of the English Parliament

Timeline

1. 1332–1336Palace of Westminster · LondonAfter Edward III threw off the regency and consolidated royal power, he frequently summoned Parliament to handle Scottish wars and domestic affairs. Parliament gradually incorporated more knights and burgher representatives, forming the rudiments of a fairly complete three-tier structure of king, nobility, and commons.
2. 1338Westminster · LondonThe parliament of 1338 was a crucial meeting after the outbreak of the Hundred Years' War. Members approved appropriations for the war against France, authorized extraordinary taxes such as the wool export duty, and discussed diplomatic alliances. Parliament agreed to exchange taxation for a degree of oversight over the exercise of royal power, becoming the institutional foundation of war finance.
3. 1339England · EnglandThe parliament of 1339 continued to raise funds for the war, and the participation of county knights and city representatives in legislation and petition procedures became increasingly routine. The mechanism of parliamentary petitions developed, laying the foundation for the later political tradition of the House of Commons.