Glossary
- Absolute monarch
- a king or queen who has unrestricted power over government and the people of a given state.
- British Isles
- this is a contentious term but it is used here as a strictly geographical term to describe the archipelago lying off the coast of North West Europe which includes the island of Ireland, island of Great Britain, and adjacent small islands.
- Constitution
- often ‘a constitution’ is a document setting out the fundamental principles by which a state is governed. For instance Ireland, America and France have codified (written) constitutions. The United Kingdom does not have a written constitution. In this case, the term constitution refers to the existing body of laws, court judgments and conventions.
- Magna Carta
- the ‘great charter’ of English liberties granted by King John (1167–1216, reigned 1199–1216) in 1215.
- Modern period
- a term used by historians to describe the period from the mid-eighteenth century to the early twentieth century.
- Privy Council
- a group of senior ministers advising the monarch, serving a similar function as the cabinet today.
- Provinces (Ireland)
- there are four provinces in Ireland: Connaught (Connacht), Munster (an Mhumhain), Leinster (Laighin) and Ulster (Ulaidh).
- Tithes
- a form of tax for the support of the church or clergy.