The English Parliament has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon 'Witan' and the Norman 'Great Council,' which were advisory bodies for the king.

The Magna Carta of 1215 established the key principle that the king could not levy taxes without the 'common consent of the realm,' a foundational step for parliamentary power.

In 1295, King Edward I summoned the 'Model Parliament,' which for the first time included representatives of the common people (knights and townspeople) alongside the nobles and clergy.

Over time, Parliament evolved into two separate houses: the House of Lords (for the nobility and high-ranking clergy) and the House of Commons (for the commoners' representatives).

The House of Commons gradually gained more power through its control over taxation, known as the 'power of the purse.'

The 17th-century English Civil War was a conflict between the King and Parliament over who held ultimate political authority.

The victory of the parliamentary forces and the subsequent Glorious Revolution of 1688 established the principle of parliamentary sovereignty.

The Bill of Rights of 1689 formally limited the power of the monarch and affirmed the rights of Parliament.

The role of the Prime Minister and the cabinet system developed in the 18th century.

The English Parliament is often called the 'Mother of Parliaments' because it has been a model for representative governments around the world.