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Republican rule, 1649-60 (Failure of the Rump Parliament (Rump failed to…
Republican rule, 1649-60
In the years 1649-60 several attempts were made to establish a stable republican regime acceptable to the country as a whole. Each Experiment failed, leading to the Stuart restoration in 1660.
The Rump Parliament, 1649-53
After execution of Charles I, Cromwell and his supporters attempted to broaden support for the government by allowing MPs back into parliament.
This reinforced the tension between parliament and the army due to the reintroduction of conservative MPs who were less likely to enact reforms
May 1649 the Rump abolished the monarchy and the House of Lords and declared England to be a Commonwealth. Short-Term New Model Army had to deal with threat from Ireland and Scots
Ireland
Parliament feared a possible Irish invasion of England, aimed at bringing Charles II to the throne. Cromwell landed in Ireland in July 1649 and set out restoring English Rule.
Methods were notoriously brutal. The garrison at Drogheda was massacred because it refused to surrender.
Cromwell left his generals to complete the subjugation of the country, and returned to England in 1650 to deal with the threat from Scotland.
Scotland
Posed a grave threat to republican rule. Scottish officer David Leslie commanded a powerful army which he handed over to Charles II, provoking a third civil war
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Cromwell defeated the Scots at Dunbar in 1650, and in 1651 he destroyed Charles II's armies at Worcester. Following his defeat, Charles II fled to France and spent nine years in exile
Cromwell's successes in Ireland and Scotland ensured the survival of the republican government, and increased the prestige of the armed forces.
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Nominated Assembly, 1653
Composed of members nominated by the government. They were religious radicals determined to establish godly rule in the country
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Assembly lost the support of the political classes with its more radical proposals, including one to abolish the tithe.
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End of the commonwealth, 1653
Instrument of government of 1653 was a written constitution which aimed at giving the republic long-term stability.
The Commonwealth was replaced with the Protectorate. Government was to be carried out by a Council of State, a parliament was to be elected every three years and Oliver Cromwell was installed as Lord Protector