Location:
England
Coordinates:
51.4975, -0.1767
Events at Westminster (45)
1170
ID: 5822
Inquest of Sheriffs - Henry II investigates and dismisses corrupt sheriffs, replaces with professional administrators loyal only to crown
ID: 5822
1215
ID: 2148
June 15, 1215
Magna Carta sealed at Runnymede - limiting royal power under law, establishing due process, 'law of the land' clause becomes foundation of constitutionalism
ID: 2148
1265
ID: 2403
January 20, 1265
First elected Parliament - Simon de Montfort summons knights and burgesses, foundation of House of Commons
ID: 2403
1271
ID: 2155
Statute of Mortmain - Edward I restricts transfer of land to religious corporations without royal license, addressing 'dead hand' problem
ID: 2155
1275
ID: 2156
First Statute of Westminster - comprehensive legal reforms including protection of church property and regulation of wardship
ID: 2156
1283
ID: 2280
Statute of Acton Burnell - first English statute dealing with merchant debt, allowing imprisonment of defaulting debtors and seizure of goods
ID: 2280
1285
ID: 2158
Statute De Donis Conditionalibus - creates fee tail estates in England, allowing control of family property across generations
ID: 2158
1285
ID: 2281
Statute of Merchants (Statute of Westminster II) - strengthens creditor remedies, introduces recognizance procedure for merchant debts
ID: 2281
1290
ID: 2159
Statute Quia Emptores - ends subinfeudation in England, all land held directly from crown or mesne lord, modernizing feudal tenure
ID: 2159
1295
ID: 2414
Model Parliament - Edward I summons representatives from shires and boroughs, establishes parliamentary precedent
ID: 2414
1327
ID: 2429
January 24, 1327
Edward II forced to abdicate - first English king to be deposed, 14-year-old Edward III crowned
ID: 2429
1344
ID: 2164
Statute of Provisors - English parliament limits papal appointments to English benefices, asserting national control over church property
ID: 2164
1351
ID: 2167
Statute of Laborers strengthened - criminalizes demanding higher wages, compulsory labor service, early labor law
ID: 2167
1376
ID: 2446
Good Parliament - first impeachment of royal ministers, Commons flexes new powers against corruption
ID: 2446
1386
ID: 2451
Wonderful Parliament - Lords Appellant challenge Richard II's favorites, threaten deposition
ID: 2451
1388
ID: 2453
Merciless Parliament - Lords Appellant execute Richard's favorites, king forced to submit
ID: 2453
1391
ID: 2169
Statute of Mortmain extended to uses - attempt to prevent evasion of mortmain through trust device, showing crown recognition of trust mechanism
ID: 2169
1399
ID: 2462
September 30, 1399
Richard II abdicates - forced to resign crown in Westminster Hall, Henry IV acclaimed by Parliament
ID: 2462
1483
ID: 2512
June 26, 1483
Richard III accepts crown - Parliament petitions him to take throne, Princes in Tower never seen again
ID: 2512
1485
ID: 2180
Court of Chancery fully established - equity jurisdiction formalized under Chancellor as 'keeper of king's conscience'
ID: 2180
1487
ID: 2181
Star Chamber court formalized - using Roman law procedures in England for state trials, bypassing common law protections
ID: 2181
1535
ID: 2188
Statute of Uses enacted - attempts to execute uses and restore feudal incidents, but creates unintended consequences leading to modern trust
ID: 2188
1540
ID: 2189
Statute of Wills - allows devise of land by will, compensating landowners for Statute of Uses
ID: 2189
1542
ID: 2292
First English bankruptcy statute under Henry VIII - only applies to traders, allows commissioners to seize and sell assets, no discharge
ID: 2292
1570
ID: 2294
English statute makes fraudulent bankruptcy a capital crime - concealing assets from creditors punishable by death
ID: 2294
1604
ID: 2297
English bankruptcy law adds discharge provision - commissioners can grant certificate of conformity releasing cooperative debtor from debts
ID: 2297
1623
ID: 2299
English statute requires creditor consent for bankruptcy discharge - 4/5ths in number and value must agree to certificate
ID: 2299
1705
ID: 2308
English statute makes bankruptcy discharge permanent - previously could be revoked if debtor acquired new property
ID: 2308
1732
ID: 2312
English Bankruptcy Act reforms - Lord Chancellor gains supervisory power over commissioners, beginning of judicial control
ID: 2312
1771
ID: 2319
English Bankruptcy Act allows trading debtor to petition for own bankruptcy - previously only creditors could initiate
ID: 2319
1783
ID: 2322
Fox's India Bill proposes partnership model for empire - East India Company as partnership between Crown and Company
ID: 2322
1813
ID: 2332
English Insolvent Debtors Act - allows non-traders to obtain release from debtors' prison after surrendering property
ID: 2332
1825
ID: 2335
English Bankruptcy Consolidation Act - comprehensive reform, codifies 11 previous statutes, creates modern bankruptcy framework
ID: 2335
1844
ID: 2340
Joint Stock Companies Act - first general incorporation in England, registration without special charter, but unlimited liability remains
ID: 2340
1849
ID: 2343
English Insolvent Debtors Act extended - all persons can petition for insolvency, not just traders
ID: 2343
1855
ID: 2344
Limited Liability Act - shareholders' liability limited to unpaid share amount, revolution in corporate finance
ID: 2344
1856
ID: 2345
Joint Stock Companies Act consolidation - general incorporation with limited liability by simple registration
ID: 2345
1861
ID: 2346
English Bankruptcy Act - abolishes debtors' prisons except for fraud, bankruptcy becomes economic not moral issue
ID: 2346
1862
ID: 2347
Companies Act consolidates English corporate law - model for Commonwealth countries, spreads limited liability globally
ID: 2347
1869
ID: 2350
Debtors Act abolishes imprisonment for debt in England - except for deliberate refusal to pay when able
ID: 2350
1883
ID: 2353
English Bankruptcy Act - Official Receiver created, public official supervises all bankruptcies
ID: 2353
1890
ID: 2356
English Partnership Act - Pollock's draft codifies partnership law, defines partnership as 'relation between persons'
ID: 2356
1907
ID: 2361
Limited Partnership Act (England) - finally allows limited partnerships after resistance from unlimited liability tradition
ID: 2361
1908
ID: 2362
Companies (Consolidation) Act - requires disclosure of financial statements, beginning of mandatory transparency
ID: 2362
1926
ID: 2366
English Bankruptcy Act - consolidates Victorian reforms, official receiver system mature, discharge liberalized
ID: 2366