The Interregnum

wow

The Interregnum

Estudios Culturales en Lengua Inglesa I - Grupo 4

The Interregnum

• The period between 1649 and 1660: between Charles I and Charles II.
• 14-15 Feb 1649 executive authority given to a Council of State, selected annually by HoC.
• 17 March 1649 Act for the Abolishing of the Kingly Office passed. A fragment:

It is and hath been found by experience, that the office of a king in this nation and Ireland, and to have the power thereof in any single person, is unnecessary, burdensome, and dangerous to the liberty, safety, and public interest of the people, and that for the most part, use hath been made of the regal power and prerogative to oppress and impoverish and enslave the people [...]Be it therefore Enacted and Ordained by this present Parliament, and by Authority of the same, That the Office of a King in this nation, shall not henceforth reside in, or be exercised by any one single person; and that no one person whatsoever, shall or may have, or hold the Office, Stile, Dignity, Power or Authority of King of the said Kingdoms and Dominions, or any of them, or of the Prince of Wales, Any Law, Statute, Usage or Custom to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding […]

The Interregnum

• Religion
• A triumph of Puritanism
• Church of England (Anglican) and its bishops abolished.
• Church services became simpler.
• During the gov. of the Rump Parliament (1648-1653) Puritan theology influenced politcs: some acts reflected Puritan values.
• E. g., Adultery Act of 1650 or acts suppressing entertainments like dancing and the theatre or outlawing swearing and drunkenness.
• King in exile: Charles II, eldest son of Charles I.
• Twelve when war broke out, accompanied father on campaign.
• 1645 (15) given command of Royalist forces in West Country.
• June 1646 was persuaded to escape to France
• Lived in Paris at the court of his cousin Louis XIV and in The Hague at the court of his brother-in-law William of Orange.
• February 1649 (after execution of Charles I) proclaimed king of Scotland by Scottish Parliament.
• January 1651 Charles II accepted the Covenant, crowned king of Scotland at Scone.
• Tried to invade England with Scottish forces, defeated at Worcester Sept 1651.
• Rebellion in Scotland crushed by Cromwell.

The Interregnum

• England
• Rump Parliament failed to agree on a reform of the Church and of the election system.
• Failed to make long-term provision for a new national Church.
• Failed to define the state's right to confer and place limits on the freedom of worship and gather outside the Church.
• No limit had been set for the term of the Rump (elect new MPs for a new Parliament).
• Rump Parliament dissolved by Cromwell 20 April 1653:
• Entered Parliament with 40 soldiers, sent MPs away.
• Believed Parliament existed to do God's work, thus only the godly could sit in Parliament.
• Relied heavily on his army.
• Rump replaced by an assembly nominated from (mostly) high commanders of the army: "Nominated Parliament" (1653).
• Hand-picked legislative group of self-proclaimed godly men, chosen by Cromwell.
• Unsuccessful in overcoming internal division.
• December 1653 (only five months after being constituted) Parliament voted "Instrument of Government", dissolving itself and giving absolute authority to Cromwell: created "Lord Protector" for life.

The Interregnum

• The Protectorate (when Cromwell was Lord Protector):
• Continued having difficulties controlling Parliament.
• Religious toleration extended to Jews and most Protestants (except Anglicans) but it excluded Catholics.
• 1657 Cromwell was offered the crown, rejected it after long reflection.
• Accepted equivalent authority and dignities: right to nominate own successor.
• September 1658 Oliver Cromwell died, succeeded by son Richard.
• Richard had no powerbase in the army, could not control Parliament.
• Resigned as Lord Protector in May 1659.
• To prevent chaos, George Monck, commander of English army in Scotland, marched on London.
• Entered London 2 Feb 1660.
• Restored Long Parliament, including MPs expelled with Pride's Purge from 1648.
• Gave an impulse to the necessary constitutional adjustments to restore monarchy.
• Incited Long Parliament to dissolve itself.
• Secretly negotiated with Charles II.