[MR] kinda off topic question

[David Austin]

King John of England signed Magna Carta in the thirteenth century
which began a process of limiting the power of kings.  England had
it's own revolutionary (civil) war from 1642 to 1651 in which the
Royalists who supported the absolute monarchy fought against the
"roundheads" who supported the supremacy of the Parliament.  The
parliamentarians defeated the Royalists in one of the bloodiest wars
in history and the King of England (Charles I) was executed by order
of Parliament.  Then the glorious revolution occurred later that
century when the Parliament overthrew the monarchy again and
established the principal that Kings could only "rule" with the
consent of Parliament.  This eight hundred year struggle let to the
situation today where the crowns have no real power, and serve as a
figurehead with the consent and support of the people.  The ideas that
led to the Representative Republic of the United States were very much
informed by the same struggle.