The Period of the Republic (1649-1660)
In March 1649, the monarchy and the house of Lords were abolished and England was declared to be a commonwealth[1]. The new government was immediately unpopular and only the dynamic and brilliant personality of Cromwell[2] guaranteed that it survived.
From 1649-53, the rump[3] governed through a council of state dominated by the Army. When these men showed signs of becoming too powerful, Cromwell dismissed them and briefly governed the country with ten chosen generals. England had become a military dictatorship.
At the end of 1653 a new constitution was put in place which gave Cromwell the title of “Lord Protector”. However, Cromwell continued to experience problems with Parliament and at the end of 1654 he dismissed it and divided England into eleven districts placing each one under the rule of a Major- General. During this period England was very strictly governed. Public houses and theatres were closed and there were control over drinking, dancing, and spiting. It is from this time that the word puritanical[4] gained its modern meaning.
In 1657, parliament offered Cromwell the title “king”, which he refused. However, he accepted all the traditional powers including hereditary right. He even re-introduced a secondary chamber which was, in effect, the restoration of the Lords. The following year, on September, Oliver Cromwell died.
Cromwell was succeeded by his son, Richard. unfortunately, he was not at all interested in politics and held no respect from the Army. By March 1659, he had lost control and happily agreed to step down. Anarchy prevailed until General Monck from Scotland took control. Monck had been a loyal supporter of Cromwell but with his death he decided to restore the monarchy. He negotiated, in secret, with Charles Stuart, the son of the executed king Charles, who was desperate to win back his father’s throne, agreed, in the declaration of Breda in 1660[5], that there would be no punishment for the regicides and that there would be religious toleration for all. Persuaded by this, Parliament invited Charles to return to England. He arrived in May 1660 to general rejoicing. The period of the public was at an end.
Note. Adapted from English Online. The Commonwealth: 1648-1660. [Online] available from:
https://spartacus-educational.com/STUcommonwealth.htm
[accessed: 2nd June 2018].
Note. Adapted from Pouvelle, J. et al (2003) Repères de Civilisation Grande-Bretagne Etats- Unis. Paris: ellipses
[1] an independent country or community, especially a democratic republic.
[2] the remainder of the Long Parliament. It sat from 1648–53.
[3] Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 – 3 September 1658) was an English military and political leader. He served as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1653 until his death, acting simultaneously as head of state and head of government of the new republic.
[4] practicing or affecting strict religious or moral behaviour.
[5] (dated 4 April 1660) was a proclamation by Charles II of England in which he promised a general pardon for crimes committed during the English Civil War.