Monarchy in the 16th Century

To gain consent from lords and nobles to impose taxation, kings created councils or assemblies where proposed taxes could be discussed and approved. Of such assemblies, the most important in this period was the English Parliament, created in 1215 by an agreement between English nobles and King John, known as the Magna Carta, or "Grand Charter," that allowed for representatives of the nobles (Lords) and of cities (Commons) to assemble to advise the king and to consent to taxation.

Outside of England, such representative assemblies took the form of Estates General, composed of representatives from all the towns and regions of all three orders of society: the clergy, the nobility and the commoners. (The representatives of the commoners generally came only from towns since the peasants were nominally represented by their lords.) By tradition, only an Estates General could approve the imposition of new taxes, be they land taxes, head taxes or taxes on goods or services.

A king or prince who obtained authorization to raise money through taxation greatly enhanced his power, since he no longer depended directly on nobles to protect or expand the territory.