The Commonwealth (1649-1653)

• The Commonwealth governed from 1649 to 1653, consisting of the Rump Parliament and the Council of State.
• The Rump served as the Commonwealth's legislature, comprising the 240 MPs who survived Pride's Purge and the 1649 abolition of the House of Lords resulted in a single-chamber system.
• The Council of State was the executive body of the Commonwealth, consisting of 41 ministers chosen by the Rump, which allowed the Rump considerable control.
• Rump inefficiency was an issue, with the number of laws passed decreasing from 125 in 1649 to 51 in 1652.
• The Rump relied on the Army to suppress opposition, especially in Ireland, but this led to higher taxes and more political opposition.
• Cromwell's reliance on the Army was evident in the massacres at Drogheda and Wexford to gain control of the royalist faction.
• Cromwell, as Commander-in-Chief, suppressed Scottish royalist uprisings led by Charles II at Dunbar and Worcester, and the Rump punished the Scots by closing their Parliament.
• Cromwell dissolved the Rump in 1653 after MPs planned elections to replace those removed during Pride's Purge, as these elections threatened to increase conservative representation leading to a disruption of the Army's aims for significant reforms.
• The republican government failed between 1649-1653.
• The Rump had some success in enforcing godliness, offering more lenient punishment for debtors, passing the 1651 Navigation Act and financing the Anglo-Dutch War.

The Nominated Assembly

• The Nominated Assembly was a government of 140 men chosen by the Army's Council of Officers rather than the churches and it was also known as the 'Barebones Parliament'.
• Initially, the Assembly worked to implement 30 statutes focusing on areas like poor relief and legal reform in just five months that the Rump had ignored.
• The Nominated Assembly soon faced conflict between moderates and radicals and in December 1653, moderates planned a coup and voted to hand power to Cromwell, thus ending the Assembly's tenure.
• The Institute of Government, drafted by Major-General Lambert, established the Protectorate and gave Cromwell executive power.
• About 100 MPs who supported the Commonwealth withdrew from the First Protectorate Parliament.
• The First Protectorate Parliament enacted 84 ordinances, including godly reforms and civil reforms.
• Cromwell dissolved the First Protectorate Parliament in January 1655 due to its religious intolerance and anti-army sentiment.

The Rule Of The Major Generals

• In 1655, a Royalist uprising in Wiltshire, though easily suppressed, convinced Cromwell of the need for greater control, leading to England being divided into 11 districts under Major Generals.
• The Major Generals were tasked with heading local government and security as well as enforcing godly reform by closing alehouses and brothels.
• They were assisted by a new local militia, funded by a 10% decimation tax on royalist estates.
• The Major Generals were efficient but disliked for their military nature, restrictions on social activities and replacement of traditional local elites.
• Cromwell accepted disillusionment with the Major Generals and ended their rule, replacing them with the Second Protectorate Parliament.
• The Second Protectorate Parliament was dissolved by Cromwell in 1658 because of a lack of religious tolerance and opposition to the army.

After Cromwell

• The Second Protectorate Parliament was allowed to draft a new constitution with the Humble Petition and Advice.
• The petition offered to make Cromwell King with hereditary succession, regular elections, limited religious toleration and governance by both Lords and Commons alongside the King.
• Cromwell declined Kingship due to recognized restrictions on his power, the risk of losing army support and his fear of angering God.
• In 1658, Cromwell died and his son, Richard Cromwell, succeeded him but lacked army support and was forced to resign in 1659.
• The army recalled the Rump, but it was forcibly dissolved after just 5 months due to significant opposition.
• General Monck marched from Scotland to London, allowing the readmission of Long Parliament MPs removed in Pride's Purge and as a result the Rump voluntarily dissolved.
• A newly elected Convention Parliament received the Declaration of Breda and voted to restore the monarchy.