The
Commonwealth

Commonwealth was the period from 1649 to 1660 when
England

England and
Wales, later along with
Ireland

Ireland and Scotland,[1] was ruled as a
republic following the end of the
Second English Civil War

Second English Civil War and the
trial and execution of Charles I. The republic's existence was
declared through "An Act declaring
England

England to be a Commonwealth",[2]
adopted by the
Rump Parliament
.svg/300px-Coat_of_Arms_of_England_(1603-1649).svg.png)
Rump Parliament on 19 May 1649. Power in the early
Commonwealth

Commonwealth was vested primarily in the Parliament and a Council of
State. During the period, fighting continued, particularly in Ireland
and Scotland, between the parliamentary forces and those opposed to
them, as part of what is now referred to as the Third English Civil
War.
In 1653, after the forcible dissolution of the Rump Parliament, the
Army Council adopted the
Instrument of Government
.svg/280px-Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Protectorate_(1653–1659).svg.png)
Instrument of Government which made Oliver
Cromwell
Lord Protector
.svg/240px-Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Protectorate_(1653–1659).svg.png)
Lord Protector of a united "
Commonwealth

Commonwealth of England, Scotland
and Ireland", inaugurating the period now usually known as the
Protectorate. After Cromwell's death, and following a brief period of
rule under his son, Richard Cromwell, the Protectorate Parliament was
dissolved in 1659 and the
Rump Parliament
.svg/300px-Coat_of_Arms_of_England_(1603-1649).svg.png)
Rump Parliament recalled, the start of a
process that led to the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. The term
Commonwealth

Commonwealth is sometimes used for the whole of 1649 to 1660 – a
period referred to by monarchists as the Interregnum – although for
other historians, the use of the term is limited to the years prior to
Cromwell’s formal assumption of power in 1653.
Contents
1 1649–1653
1.1 Rump Parliament
1.1.1 Structure
1.1.2 Issues and achievements
1.1.3 Reforms
1.1.4 Dismissal
1.2 Barebone's Parliament, July–December 1653
2 The Protectorate, 1653–1659
3 1659–1660
4 Flags of the Commonwealth
5 See also
6 Notes
7 References
8 External links
1649–1653[edit]
Commonwealth

Commonwealth of England
1649–1653
Arms
Territory claimed by the
Commonwealth

Commonwealth in 1653
Capital
London
Government
Commonwealth
Legislature
Parliament
History
•
Declaration
19 May 1649
•
Instrument of Government
16 December 1653
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Kingdom of England
Kingdom of Ireland
Protectorate (
Commonwealth

Commonwealth of England,
Scotland
.svg/440px-Highlands_and_Islands_(Scottish_Parliament_electoral_region).svg.png)
Scotland and Ireland)
Rump Parliament[edit]
Main article: Rump Parliament
The Rump was created by
Pride's Purge

Pride's Purge of those members of the Long
Parliament who did not support the political position of the Grandees
in the New Model Army. Just before and after the execution of King
Charles I on 30 January 1649, the Rump passed a number of acts of
Parliament creating the legal basis for the republic. With the
abolition of the monarchy, Privy Council and the House of Lords, it
had unchecked executive and legislative power. The English Council of
State, which replaced the Privy Council, took over many of the
executive functions of the monarchy. It was selected by the Rump, and
most of its members were MPs. However, the Rump depended on the
support of the Army with which it had a very uneasy relationship.
After the execution of Charles I, the House of Commons abolished the
monarchy and the House of Lords. It declared the people of England
"and of all the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging" to be
henceforth under the governance of a "Commonwealth",[3] effectively a
republic.
Structure[edit]
In Pride's Purge, all members of parliament (including most of the
political Presbyterians) who would not accept the need to bring the
King to trial had been removed. Thus the Rump never had more than two
hundred members (less than half the number of the Commons in the
original Long Parliament). They included: supporters of religious
independents who did not want an established church and some of whom
had sympathies with the Levellers; Presbyterians who were willing to
countenance the trial and execution of the King; and later admissions,
such as formerly excluded MPs who were prepared to denounce the
Newport Treaty negotiations with the King.
Most Rumpers were gentry, though there was a higher proportion of
lesser gentry and lawyers than in previous parliaments. Less than
one-quarter of them were regicides. This left the Rump as basically a
conservative body whose vested interests in the existing land
ownership and legal systems made it unlikely to want to reform them.
Issues and achievements[edit]
A 21st-century edition of the Act Declaring and Constituting the
People of
England

England to be a
Commonwealth

Commonwealth and Free-State enacted on 19
May 1649
For the first two years of the Commonwealth, the Rump faced economic
depression and the risk of invasion from
Scotland
.svg/440px-Highlands_and_Islands_(Scottish_Parliament_electoral_region).svg.png)
Scotland and Ireland. By 1653
Cromwell and the Army had largely eliminated these threats.
There were many disagreements amongst factions of the Rump. Some
wanted a republic, but others favoured retaining some type of
monarchical government. Most of England's traditional ruling classes
regarded the Rump as an illegal government made up of regicides and
upstarts. However, they were also aware that the Rump might be all
that stood in the way of an outright military dictatorship. High
taxes, mainly to pay the Army, were resented by the gentry. Limited
reforms were enough to antagonise the ruling class but not enough to
satisfy the radicals.
Despite its unpopularity, the Rump was a link with the old
constitution, and helped to settle
England

England down and make it secure
after the biggest upheaval in its history. By 1653,
France

France and Spain
had recognised England's new government.
Reforms[edit]
Though the Church of
England

England was retained, episcopacy was suppressed
and the
Act of Uniformity 1558
.svg/280px-Coat_of_Arms_of_England_(1558-1603).svg.png)
Act of Uniformity 1558 was repealed in September 1650.[4]
Mainly on the insistence of the Army, many independent churches were
tolerated, although everyone still had to pay tithes to the
established church.
Some small improvements were made to law and court procedure; for
example, all court proceedings were now conducted in English rather
than in
Law French

Law French or Latin.[5] However, there were no widespread
reforms of the common law. This would have upset the gentry, who
regarded the common law as reinforcing their status and property
rights.
The Rump passed many restrictive laws to regulate people's moral
behaviour, such as closing down theatres and requiring strict
observance of Sunday. This antagonised most of the gentry.
Dismissal[edit]
Cromwell, aided by Thomas Harrison, forcibly dismissed the Rump on 20
April 1653, for reasons that are unclear. Theories are that he feared
the Rump was trying to perpetuate itself as the government, or that
the Rump was preparing for an election which could return an
anti-
Commonwealth

Commonwealth majority. Many former members of the Rump continued
to regard themselves as England's only legitimate constitutional
authority. The Rump had not agreed to its own dissolution when it was
dispersed by Cromwell, and legislation from the period immediately
before the Civil War—the Act against dissolving the Long Parliament
without its own consent (11 May 1641) – gave them the legal basis
for this view.
Barebone's Parliament, July–December 1653[edit]
A gold Unite from 1653
The dissolution of the Rump was followed by a short period in which
Cromwell and the Army ruled alone. Nobody had the constitutional
authority to call an election, but Cromwell did not want to impose a
military dictatorship. Instead, he ruled through a 'nominated
assembly' which he believed would be easy for the Army to control,
since Army officers did the nominating.
Barebone's Parliament
.svg/300px-Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Protectorate_(1653–1659).svg.png)
Barebone's Parliament was opposed by former Rumpers and ridiculed by
many gentry as being an assembly of 'inferior' people. However, over
110 of its 140 members were lesser gentry or of higher social status.
(An exception was Praise-God Barebone, a Baptist merchant after whom
the Assembly got its derogatory nickname.) Many were well educated.
The assembly reflected the range of views of the officers who
nominated it. The Radicals (approximately forty) included a hard core
of
Fifth Monarchists

Fifth Monarchists who wanted to be rid of Common Law and any state
control of religion. The Moderates (approximately 60) wanted some
improvements within the existing system and might move to either the
radical or conservative side depending on the issue. The Conservatives
(approximately 40) wanted to keep the status quo (since Common Law
protected the interests of the gentry, and tithes and advowsons were
valuable property).
Cromwell saw
Barebone's Parliament
.svg/300px-Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Protectorate_(1653–1659).svg.png)
Barebone's Parliament as a temporary legislative body
which he hoped would produce reforms and develop a constitution for
the Commonwealth. However, members were divided over key issues, only
25 had previous parliamentary experience, and although many had some
legal training, there were no qualified lawyers.
Cromwell seems to have expected this group of 'amateurs' to produce
reform without management or direction. When the radicals mustered
enough support to defeat a bill which would have preserved the status
quo in religion, the conservatives, together with many moderates,
surrendered their authority back to Cromwell who sent soldiers to
clear the rest of the Assembly.
Barebone's Parliament
.svg/300px-Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Protectorate_(1653–1659).svg.png)
Barebone's Parliament was over.
The Protectorate, 1653–1659[edit]
Main article: The Protectorate
See also: First Protectorate Parliament, Second Protectorate
Parliament, and Third Protectorate Parliament
Arms of
Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector, used on the great seal from
1655 to 1659.[6]
Commonwealth

Commonwealth government by a Council of State and Parliament, was
divided in two by
The Protectorate

The Protectorate when the executive was vested in a
Lord Protector, who governed under a written constitution that
mandated that the
Lord Protector
.svg/240px-Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Protectorate_(1653–1659).svg.png)
Lord Protector summon triennial parliaments that
should sit for several months each year.
In 1653,
Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell became
Lord Protector
.svg/240px-Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Protectorate_(1653–1659).svg.png)
Lord Protector under England's first
written constitution Instrument of Government, and then under the
second and last written constitution, known as the Humble Petition and
Advice of 1657.
On 12 April 1654, under the terms of the Tender of Union, the
Ordinance for uniting
Scotland
.svg/440px-Highlands_and_Islands_(Scottish_Parliament_electoral_region).svg.png)
Scotland into one
Commonwealth

Commonwealth with
England

England was
issued by the
Lord Protector
.svg/240px-Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Protectorate_(1653–1659).svg.png)
Lord Protector and proclaimed in
Scotland
.svg/440px-Highlands_and_Islands_(Scottish_Parliament_electoral_region).svg.png)
Scotland by the
military governor of Scotland, General George Monck, 1st Duke of
Albemarle. The ordinance declared that "the people of
Scotland
.svg/440px-Highlands_and_Islands_(Scottish_Parliament_electoral_region).svg.png)
Scotland should
be united with the people of
England

England into one
Commonwealth

Commonwealth and under
one Government" and decreed that a new "Arms of the Commonwealth",
incorporating the Saltire, should be placed on "all the public seals,
seals of office, and seals of bodies civil or corporate, in Scotland"
as "a badge of this Union".[7][1]
On the death of
Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell in 1658, his son, Richard Cromwell,
inherited the title Lord Protector, but internal divisions among the
republican party led to his resignation, the end of the Protectorate
and a second period of
Commonwealth

Commonwealth government by a Council of State
and Parliament.
1659–1660[edit]
Commonwealth

Commonwealth of England
1659–1660
Arms
Territory of the
Commonwealth

Commonwealth in 1660
Capital
London
Government
Commonwealth
Legislature
Parliament
History
•
R. Cromwell's resignation
25 May 1659
•
Declaration of Breda
4 April 1660
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Protectorate (
Commonwealth

Commonwealth of England,
Scotland
.svg/440px-Highlands_and_Islands_(Scottish_Parliament_electoral_region).svg.png)
Scotland and Ireland)
Kingdom of England
Kingdom of Ireland
Kingdom of Scotland
The Protectorate

The Protectorate might have continued if Cromwell's son Richard, who
was made
Lord Protector
.svg/240px-Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Protectorate_(1653–1659).svg.png)
Lord Protector on his father's death, had been capable of
carrying on his father's policies. Richard Cromwell's main weakness
was that he did not have the confidence of the New Model Army.
After seven months the Grandees in the
New Model Army

New Model Army removed him and,
on 6 May 1659, they reinstalled the Rump Parliament. Charles Fleetwood
was appointed a member of the Committee of Safety and of the Council
of State, and one of the seven commissioners for the army. On 9 June
he was nominated lord-general (commander-in-chief) of the army.
However, his power was undermined in parliament, which chose to
disregard the army's authority in a similar fashion to the pre–Civil
War parliament. On 12 October 1659 the Commons cashiered General John
Lambert and other officers, and installed Fleetwood as chief of a
military council under the authority of the Speaker. The next day
Lambert ordered that the doors of the House be shut and the members
kept out. On 26 October a "Committee of Safety" was appointed, of
which Fleetwood and Lambert were members. Lambert was appointed
major-general of all the forces in
England

England and Scotland, Fleetwood
being general. Lambert was now sent, by the Committee of Safety, with
a large force to meet George Monck, who was in command of the English
forces in Scotland, and either negotiate with him or force him to come
to terms.
It was into this atmosphere that General George Monck marched south
with his army from Scotland. Lambert's army began to desert him, and
he returned to
London

London almost alone. On 21 February 1660, Monck
reinstated the Presbyterian members of the
Long Parliament
.svg/300px-Coat_of_Arms_of_England_(1603-1649).svg.png)
Long Parliament 'secluded'
by Pride, so that they could prepare legislation for a new parliament.
Fleetwood was deprived of his command and ordered to appear before
parliament to answer for his conduct. On 3 March Lambert was sent to
the Tower, from which he escaped a month later. Lambert tried to
rekindle the civil war in favour of the
Commonwealth

Commonwealth by issuing a
proclamation calling on all supporters of the "Good Old Cause" to
rally on the battlefield of Edgehill. But he was recaptured by Colonel
Richard Ingoldsby, a regicide who hoped to win a pardon by handing
Lambert over to the new regime. The
Long Parliament
.svg/300px-Coat_of_Arms_of_England_(1603-1649).svg.png)
Long Parliament dissolved itself
on 16 March.
On 4 April 1660, in response to a secret message sent by Monck,
Charles II issued the Declaration of Breda, which made known the
conditions of his acceptance of the crown of England. Monck organised
the Convention Parliament, which met for the first time on 25 April.
On 8 May it proclaimed that King Charles II had been the lawful
monarch since the execution of Charles I in January 1649.[8] Charles
returned from exile on 23 May.[9] He entered
London

London on 29 May, his
birthday. To celebrate "his Majesty's Return to his Parliament" 29 May
was made a public holiday, popularly known as Oak Apple Day.[10] He
was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 23 April 1661.[9]
Flags of the Commonwealth[edit]
Main article: Flags of the English Interregnum
A flag used by the
Commonwealth

Commonwealth Parliamentary Navy and privateers
beginning on 22 February 1649.[11]
A flag of the
Commonwealth

Commonwealth flown by the Admiral, Vice-Admiral, and
Rear-Admiral. On 5 March 1649 the Council ordered "that the Flagg that
is to be borne by the Admiral, Vice-Admiral, and Rere-Admiral be that
now presented, viz., the Armes of
England

England [Red St. George Cross on
white] and
Ireland

Ireland [gold harp on blue] in two severall Escotcheons in
a Red Flagg, within a compartment."
Standard of the
Lord Protector
.svg/240px-Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Protectorate_(1653–1659).svg.png)
Lord Protector from 1655 to 1659.[12]
A flag used by the
Commonwealth

Commonwealth after 1658.[12]
See also[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to An Act declaring
England

England to be
a Commonwealth.
Wikisource

Wikisource has original text related to this article:
An Act declaring
England

England to be a Commonwealth
First Anglo-Dutch War
(Jan_Abrahamsz._Beerstraten).jpg/600px-Battle_of_Scheveningen_(Slag_bij_Ter_Heijde)(Jan_Abrahamsz._Beerstraten).jpg)
First Anglo-Dutch War and
Admiral Robert Blake

Admiral Robert Blake for the role played by
sea power during this period
Anglo-Spanish War (1654)
List of Ordinances and Acts of the Parliament of England, 1642–1660
Knights, baronets and peers of the Protectorate
Republicanism in the United Kingdom
Notes[edit]
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help
improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources.
Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2009)
(Learn how and when to remove this template message)
^ a b Schultz 2010.
^ Wikisource:An Act declaring
England

England to be a Commonwealth
^ HMSO 1911.
^ 27 September 1650 "Act for the Repeal of several Clauses in Statutes
imposing Penalties for not coming to Church" (Firth & Rait 1911,
pp. 423–425)
^ "November 1650: An Act for turning the Books of the Law, and all
Proces and Proceedings in Courts of Justice, into English".
^ Culture 24. "Parliament Week: A Cromwellian Act and Seal from the
Cromwell Museum". Culture24.org.uk. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
^ Sevaldsen 2007, p. 39.
^ "House of Commons Journal Volume 8: 8 May 1660".
^ a b "Tuesday 23 April 1661". The Diary of Samuel Pepys.
^ "House of Commons Journal Volume 8: 30 May 1660".
^ The parliamentary navy was ordered by the Council of State on 22
February 1649 as follows: "that the ships at sea in service of the
State shall onely beare the red Crosse in a white flag"
^ a b Timothy Wilson, Flags at Sea (1986)
References[edit]
Firth, C.H.; Rait, R.S., eds. (1911), "September 1650: Act for the
Repeal of several Clauses in Statutes imposing Penalties for not
coming to Church", Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum,
1642–1660, pp. 423–425
"March 1649: An Act for the abolishing the Kingly Office in England
and Ireland, and the Dominions thereunto belonging", Acts and
Ordinances of the Interregnum, 1642-1660., London: His Majesty's
Stationery Office, 1911, pp. 18–20
Schultz, Oleg, ed. (14 March 2010),
Scotland
.svg/440px-Highlands_and_Islands_(Scottish_Parliament_electoral_region).svg.png)
Scotland and the Commonwealth:
1651–1660, Archontology.org, retrieved December 2012 Check
date values in: access-date= (help); External link in publisher=
(help)
Sevaldsen, Jørgen; et al. (2007), Angles on the English-Speaking
World, V.7: The State of the Union: Scotland, 1707–2007, Museum
Tusculanum Press, p. 39, ISBN 978-87-635-0702-8
External links[edit]
Coins from the
Commonwealth

Commonwealth of
England

England period, 1649–1660, including
halfcrowns
Preceded by
Charles I
in
England

England & Ireland
Commonwealth

Commonwealth of England
1649–1653
Succeeded by
Oliver Cromwell
The Protectorate

The Protectorate 1653–1658
Preceded by
The Covenanters
in Scotland
Preceded by
Richard Cromwell
The Protectorate

The Protectorate 1658–1659
Commonwealth

Commonwealth of England
1659–1660
Succeeded by
Charles II
Stuart Restoration
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