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First and Second Protectorate Parliaments - Coggle Diagram
First and Second Protectorate Parliaments
Humble Petition and Advice and the refusal of the Crown
Requested that Cromwell become King giving the regime more respectability and ensuring the succession of his son, Richard, rather than a member of the army.
Asked for an end to arbitrary exclusion as members would only be able to be barred by the House itself.
Reduced power of the Council, created another Chamber for parliament and reduced the size of the armed forces and limited religious toleration.
Declined by Cromwell, although he liked a lot of it, if he accepted it, he would have to become King and the military would not be satisfied.
On 26th June 1657, he was reinstalled as Lord Protector
January 1658, new elections without members being excluded - return of republicans who attacked the Other House. Opponents dominated.
However, army stayed loyal, royalists were dealt with and economic prosperity reigned in the Kingdom. Union with Scotland working, Dunkirk captured but Cromwell died on the 3rd September 1658.
First Protectorate Parliament & The Rule of the Major Generals
The First Protectorate Parliament
First full elections since 1640 (July 1654)
Allowed pent-up grievances to be expressed
The country gentry questioned the authority of the Instrument and the restraints in power imposed on Parliament by Cromwell
As time went on, Parliament kept on rewriting the constitution, reassessing the balance between the Council and parliament. As well as proposing changes that would limit religious liberty and the size of the army. - wanted common consent of the people assembled in parliament to raise militia'
Cromwell dissolved Parliament in January 1655 before it had passed a bill or voted taxation, and begun the Rule of the Major Generals (ruling by ordinance)
The Rule of the Major Generals
Movement from conciliation to military dictatorship through the introduction of the Rule of the Major Generals
Major General Aims
Reduce disorder and create a nation loyal to the Protectorate/nation. Dealt with troublemakers, anarchists and royalist activists.
Local militia would have the advantage of reducing escalating costs of the present military establishment. The scheme would be financed by a tax of one-tenth on the estates of known royalists. This would mean the main direct tax would fall to £60,000 from £90,000 having already fallen from £120,000
Coordinate the command of the militia and check the movements of known royalists
T.C. Barnard: Dictatorship, Major Generals are Cromwell's 'gauleiters' - gauleiters were a political official governing a district under Nazi rule (Cromwell was using them like his gauleiters)
Encouraged and promoted godliness and virtue and discouraged all profanity and ungodliness. Encouraged JPs to enforce laws against drunkenness, blashpeming and profaning the Lord's day and improved the work of the Trirs and Ejectors.
Popularity
Popular as they represented central government and had power/could favour individuals (some local notable support). Also some support from godly in communities which wanted godly reformation and improvement of morality.
Unpopular as they were disliked by local communities, as it was another form of central government which closed ale houses, abolished horse racing and cock fights.
Their impact however, was varied, e.g. Worsely in Nottinghamshire closed down 200 ale houses, Desborough in West Country was unable to prevent revels and local fairs.
Second Protectorate Parliament
Called in September 1656, early by a year according to the instrument
Needed money to fight a war against Spain, having launched an attack on Spanish colonies.
More moderates, but they wanted a constitutional government and a shift from a military to more civilian style rule. Also, wanted to restore power in local communities that had held power in the past: the wealthy gentry.
In January 1657, when Desborough attempted to regularise the decimation tax which funded the MGs, it was heavily defeated and the MGs faded away.
Cromwell believed religious toleration was essential in order to achieve unity, although only for those who he saw as godly and not those who supported the old Church of England or worse Catholics.
Cromwell believed inner piety was more important than outward patterns of worship. But he did want to preserve law and order as head of state.
Not as severe punishments, e.g. Jesus arriving in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday by Quaker James Nayler wasn't very severely punished in Bristol. Extension also of toleration towards Jews - 1650s saw the first serious attempt to readmit Jews to England since Middle Ages.
Needed a successor, didn't want a military leader. Also concerned with composition of parliament
Council had to debar over 100 members from taking their seats as the Major Generals couldn't influence the voting to achieve a compliant parliament.