x, 164 pages ; 22 cm

Among England's many contributions to Western civilization, the development of a workable democracy is easily the most important. And while democratic institutions have been adopted by other than English-speaking peoples in the past hundred years, they are peculiarly English--a creation of centuries of trial and error. A great deal is known about the recent history of parliaments. Less understood, however, are the origins of the English Parliament during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Historian George O. Sayles has spent much of his long scholarly career working toward that understanding, brought together here in a comprehensive and yet concise volume, Beginning with a survey of the previous scholarship on the subject, Professor Sayles moves on to a discussion of the twelfth- and thirteenth-century assemblies and councils--forerunners of the modem parliament--explaining functions in terms of contemporary problems and tracing the steps in their evolution. By the conclusion of this book the reader will know how the parliament came into being, what its early activities and responsibilities were, who attended, and how often they met. In addition, the reader will have an understanding of the relationship between the king and parliament by the fifteenth century.--From publisher description

Modern myths and medieval parliaments -- Commune consilium and Parliamentum -- The emergence of the King's Parliament -- The Provisions of Oxford and their consequences -- The Parliaments of Edward I : the age of bureaucracy -- The Ordinances of 1311 : the reaction against bureaucracy -- The King's Parliaments in perspective in the later Middle Ages -- Appendix: The King's Parliaments of England, 1258-1377 -- Glossary

Includes bibliographical references (pages 147-158) and index

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