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Middle Ages · Question

Which 1295 English assembly is often called the “Model Parliament”?

Answer

Model Parliament

The story behind the answer

In 1295, Edward I summoned an assembly that, for the first time in a systematic way, brought together nobles and clergy with elected representatives—two knights from each shire and two burgesses from each borough. This broadened participation meant that taxation and national policy had the consent of those who would bear them, reflecting the principle “what touches all should be approved by all.” That representative mix became the template for later English parliaments.

Historians later gave it a special label because it set the pattern for the House of Commons and regularized the inclusion of the “commons” alongside the lords and clergy. Earlier bodies like the Great Council were largely feudal gatherings; later “Good” or “Mad” parliaments were notable events, but the 1295 meeting established the enduring structure.

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