Category: Named Parliaments

medieval history, Named Parliaments

Too few lawyers? The ‘Unlearned Parliament’ of October 1404

Following Dr Hannes Kleineke’s two part piece on the Good, the Bad, the Wonderful and the Merciless Parliaments of the late fourteenth century in June, Dr Simon Payling of our House of Commons 1422-1504 project discusses the ‘Unlearned Parliament’ of 1404… In the modern Parliament lawyers are the best represented of the professions with between about 10% and 15% of MPs qualified as barristers or … Continue reading Too few lawyers? The ‘Unlearned Parliament’ of October 1404

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medieval history, Named Parliaments

The Good, the Bad and the Wonderful: The dramatic Parliaments of the late 14th century (Part Two)

Welcome back to our Named Parliaments series for June’s second installment from Senior Research Fellow, Dr Hannes Kleineke of our House of Commons 1422-1504 Section. Today Hannes continues with part two of ‘The Good, the Bad and the Wonderful’ focusing on the Wonderful and the Merciless Parliaments of 1386 and 1388… Perhaps richer in colourfully named parliaments than any other period in English history is … Continue reading The Good, the Bad and the Wonderful: The dramatic Parliaments of the late 14th century (Part Two)

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medieval history, Named Parliaments

The Good, the Bad and the Wonderful: The dramatic Parliaments of the late 14th century (Part One)

This month in our Named Parliaments series we hear from Dr Hannes Kleineke, Senior Research Fellow for our House of Commons 1422-1504 Section, about the dramatic Parliaments of the late 14th century, in two parts. In the first, today, we learn about the Good and the Bad Parliaments, 1376-1377, and in part two, on 27 June, he will elaborate on the Wonderful and the Merciless … Continue reading The Good, the Bad and the Wonderful: The dramatic Parliaments of the late 14th century (Part One)

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17th Century history, Early modern history, Named Parliaments

‘A name of an ill sound’: The Officers’ Parliament of 1690-95

Today we continue with our ‘Named Parliament’ series. Charles Littleton of the Lords 1660-1832 project discusses the Officers’ Parliament of 1690-95 and the enactment of legislation to regulate parliamentary sessions thereafter… To many contemporaries the Parliament which first met in March 1690 later became vilified as ‘The Officers’ Parliament’. Bishop Gilbert Burnet, watching events from the House of Lords, described the origin of the term … Continue reading ‘A name of an ill sound’: The Officers’ Parliament of 1690-95

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17th Century history, Early modern history, James I to Restoration, Named Parliaments

How long is a Parliament?

In this blog for the ‘Named Parliaments’ series, Dr Paul Hunneyball, Associate Editor of the House of Lords 1604-29 project, explores the length of parliaments, paying particular attention to the Short and Long parliaments of the 1640s and 1650s… Down the centuries, the length of parliaments has varied enormously, from a few days to a decade or more. That being the case, it’s perhaps surprising … Continue reading How long is a Parliament?

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17th Century history, 18th Century history, Early modern history, James I to Restoration, Named Parliaments

When is a Parliament not a Parliament?

Dr Robin Eagles, Editor of the House of Lords 1660-1832 project kicks off our new series, ‘Named Parliaments’. Here, whilst highlighting a number of Named Parliaments in the seventeenth century, he explores the debate of parliament versus convention or assembly in the early modern period… The question of what is and is not a Parliament might seem a simple one, but on two occasions during … Continue reading When is a Parliament not a Parliament?

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