In the sixteenth century, parliaments were not only summoned but also prorogued at the behest of the monarch. In this blog, Dr Andrew Thrush, editor of our Lords 1558-1603 project, discusses an exceptionally large but often overlooked number of prorogations that took place during the mid-Elizabethan period…
Before the Long Parliament of 1640-53, the Parliament of 1572-81 bore the distinction of being the longest in English history. It was even longer than one might suppose, as it was not formally dissolved until 1583. Unlike the Long Parliament, this assembly, the fourth of Elizabeth’s reign, did not sit continuously, but sat over three short sessions, in 1572, 1576 and 1581. These lasted just over seventeen weeks in total, meaning that the intervals before and after each session were considerably longer than the individual sessions themselves.
© National Portrait Gallery
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