Convention Parliament (England) facts for kids
A Convention Parliament was a special kind of parliament in English history. It met without being officially called by the King or Queen. This usually happened when there was no clear ruler, or the throne was empty. These parliaments were very important for deciding who should rule next.
Sir William Blackstone, a famous legal expert, said there were only two true Convention Parliaments: one in 1660 and another in 1689. However, some people also call the parliament of 1399 a Convention Parliament.
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What Makes a Convention Parliament Special?
Normally, only the King or Queen can officially call a parliament to meet. But what happens if there's no King or Queen, or if the ruler has left the country? That's when a Convention Parliament might be needed.
These special parliaments met to solve big problems that regular parliaments couldn't handle. For example, they might decide who should be the new ruler. After they made their decisions, a new, officially called parliament would usually confirm what they had done.
In 1689, people started to see Convention Parliaments as a good thing. They were seen as a way for the people of England to have a voice when the country faced a major crisis, like changing who was in charge.
Today, it's very unlikely that England would need another Convention Parliament. Laws like the Succession to the Crown Act 1707 and the Meeting of Parliament Act 1797 make sure that Parliament can always meet quickly if the King or Queen dies.
The 1399 Convention Parliament
The first time a parliament like this met was in 1399. A group of important people, called the "estates of the realm," came together. Their goal was to offer the throne to Henry Bolingbroke, who became King Henry IV of England. This happened after King Richard II of England was removed from power.
Richard II had actually called this group together as a parliament. But because he was no longer king, the meeting wasn't officially opened by him. It was like the King had died, which meant the parliament wasn't properly formed. So, once Henry became King, he officially called the same parliament again. This made all their earlier decisions, including recognizing him as king, legal and proper.
The 1660 Convention Parliament
The 1660 Convention Parliament met from April 25 to December 29, 1660. It followed a long period when England was a republic, known as the Commonwealth of England, without a king.
This parliament was called a "free parliament." This meant its members didn't have to promise loyalty to the Commonwealth or the monarchy before being elected. Most of the people elected were supporters of the King.
This parliament was very important because it helped bring back the monarchy. It officially declared on May 8 that King Charles II had been the rightful king since his father, Charles I, died in 1649.
The Convention Parliament then made plans for the Restoration Settlement. This included making sure the new government had land and money to operate. They also passed the Indemnity and Oblivion Act on August 29, 1660. This law aimed to forgive most people who had supported the Commonwealth, but it did allow for the punishment of those directly involved in the trial and execution of Charles I.
King Charles II ended the Convention Parliament on December 29, 1660. The next parliament, called the Cavalier Parliament, met in May 1661. It worked to undo many laws and institutions that had been created during the time without a king. It also confirmed the important decisions made by the Convention Parliament.
Since many laws from the Commonwealth period were removed from legal records, the Convention Parliament re-passed some laws they wanted to keep, like the Navigation Act of 1651.
More About the 1660 Parliament
The 1689 Convention Parliament
The 1689 Convention Parliament met from December 29, 1688, to January 22, 1689. It was the first parliament of the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688.
This parliament met after King James II of England left England. It was not called by the King. The parliament decided that James II had given up his throne by running away and throwing the Great Seal of the Realm (a special stamp used to make laws official) into the River Thames.
This parliament then offered the throne jointly to King William III and Queen Mary II. They officially recognized Prince William of Orange as King by passing the Bill of Rights 1689. This law set out important rights for Parliament and the people, and limited the power of the monarch.
See also
- Constituent Assembly
- Constituent Cortes
- Constitutional convention (political meeting)
- List of parliaments of England
- Revolutionary breach of legal continuity
- List of MPs elected to the English Parliament in 1660
- List of MPs elected to the English Parliament in 1689
