| 1603 |
Accession of James I (King James VI of Scotland). |
| 1604 |
Hampton Court Conference. |
| 1605 |
Gunpowder Plot. |
| 1618 |
Outbreak of Thirty Years War. |
| 1625 |
Death of James I; accession of Charles I. |
| 1627 |
Five Knights’ Case. |
| 1628 |
Parliament meets. Petition of Right. |
| 1629 |
England begins eleven-year period without a parliament. |
| 1633 |
Appointment of Archbishop Laud. |
| 1634 |
First levy of ship money. |
| 1637 |
King wins Ship Money Case, 7 judges for, 5 against. |
| 1638 |
Scottish National Covenant. |
| 1639 |
First Bishops’ War. |
| 1640 |
Short Parliament meets in April. Long Parliament meets in November. |
| 1641 |
Uprising in Ireland, massacre of Protestants. |
| 1642 |
Outbreak of civil war. |
| 1643 |
Solemn League and Covenant. Scots enter war in England. |
| 1645 |
New Model Army created. |
| 1646 |
Charles surrenders. |
| 1647 |
Charles captured by army. Army debates at Putney. |
| 1648 |
Second civil war. Pride’s Purge. |
| 1649 |
Charles tried and executed. Monarchy and House of Lords abolished. England declared a commonwealth. |
| 1650 |
Engagement Oath required. Charles II and Scots defeated at Dunbar. |
| 1651 |
Charles II and Scots defeated at Worcester. Charles flees to France. |
| 1653 |
Cromwell expels the Rump Parliament. Instrument of Government drawn up. Cromwell becomes Lord Protector. |
| 1654 |
First Protectorate Parliament. |
| 1655 |
Penruddock’s uprising. |
| 1656 |
Rule of Major Generals. Second Protectorate Parliament. |
| 1657 |
Cromwell refuses crown. |
| 1658 |
Cromwell dies. Richard Cromwell becomes Protector. |
| 1659 |
Richard Cromwell resigns. Rump Parliament recalled. George Monck marches with army to London. |
| 1660 |
Long Parliament recalled. Convention Parliament summoned. Charles II invited back. Monarchy restored. Trial of regicides. |
| 1661 |
Cavalier parliament meets. Passage Militia Act, Corporation Act. |
| 1662 |
Passage Uniformity Act. Trial of Sir Henry Vane. |
| 1670 |
Secret Treaty between Charles II and Louis XIV. |
| 1672 |
Charles issues Declaration of Indulgence. |
| 1673 |
Test Act. |
| 1678 |
Second Test Act. |
| 1680 |
Exclusion Bill introduced. |
| 1683 |
Rye House Plot. Trial of William Lord Russell, Algernon Sidney. Oxford decrees condemn all resistance. |
| 1685 |
Charles II dies. Accession of James II. |
| 1687 |
James II issues Declaration of Indulgence. |
| 1688 |
Seven Bishops Trial. Arrival of William of Orange. Glorious Revolution. |
| 1689 |
Convention Parliament meets. Bill of Rights. Accession of William and Mary. |