CAUSES

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The Commonwealth was the name for the republic under the leadership of Parliament after the execution of King Charles I. The New Model Army and Oliver Cromwell as its leader, became the strongest force in England. Cromwell is a controversial character in history. In the 19th century, Britain became more democratic and parliament more important – historians were more sympathetic towards Cromwell, but under the reign of Charles II Cromwell was portrayed in negative propaganda as the devil. He is very unpopular in Ireland due to his actions against Catholics there.

 

DEVELOPMENTS

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Cromwell won wars against the Dutch and Spanish and restored England’s reputation abroad. He introduced the NAVIGATION ACT in 1651, which said that any ship coming into or leaving England had to be English. People were free to worship any way they wished and many ordinary people felt that Cromwell was on their side and less remote than a lavish king.

However Cromwell appointed Major-Generals to the 11 districts he created. They kept strict control on many aspects of life according to PURITAN beliefs; lots of popular entertainments were banned and even Christmas and wedding celebrations were stopped. Cromwell took the New Model Army to Ireland when he hear rumours about Protestants being mistreated. He attacked Drogheda, and even when the people surrendered he killed hundreds of Catholic men, women and children. Land was taken from Catholics in Ireland and given to protestants so that England would have allies there.

Cromwell ended up with more power than Charles I, ruling without parliament, which some see as hypocritical. He felt that winning the Civil War was a sign that God wanted him to rule and ban sinful activities.

 

CONSEQUENCES

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There were many challenges to Cromwell’s Protectorate and political and religious RADICALISM (extremes) emerged; e.g. the Levellers, led by JOHN LILBURNE, who wanted equality and to reform political representation for the men who had fought in the New Model Army. Cromwell met with them in 1647 at THE PUTNEY DEBATES. Their leaders were imprisoned and executed.

Cromwell died in 1658 and his son became Lord Protector, however he was not interested in politics and resigned. In 1660 Charles II rode into London and was crowned King of England, Scotland and Ireland – THE RESTORATION. Cromwell’s body was dug up and hung and his head put on a spike. Charles II worked with parliament, but died without an heir, so his brother became King James II in 1685. He was a Catholic; he began promoting Catholics and ruling without parliament. In 1688, when James’ wife suddenly had a son who would be the next monarch and brought up a Catholic, parliament acted. They secretly wrote to James’ son in law, Dutch prince, William of Orange (married to James’ protestant daughter Mary), and invited him to invade England and defeat James. In return he and Mary would be jointly crowned King and Queen. William’s army defeated James’ army. William and Mary were crowned. But parliament passed the BILL OF RIGHTS in 1689 which severely limited the power of the monarch and placed parliament in control.  This became known as the GLORIOUS REVOLUTION.

 

SIGNIFICANCE

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ST: mainly negative. He made people suspicious of religious extremes and of soldiers-in-politics, and he made Ireland more unstable, where the Catholic population was oppressed by an English colonial elite.

LT: more positive. The naval and military reforms founded the expansion of the British empire over the following centuries. He had championed religious freedom and the principle that rules should be accountable to the people and these proved a great inspiration to nineteenth-century political groups and figures. He has more roads named after him than any other person Queen Victoria. Respect for rule by parliament.

 

MAIN FACTORS

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RELIGION, GOVERNMENT, INDIVDUALS, IDEAS