Parliament And The Protector Flashcards
(9 cards)
Cromwells aims
Building a godly society
Cromwell believed in religious toleration and he found the traditional way of the church to be preventing people from finding god. He wanted religion to be more personal and society to become more godly of its own free will. He had the backing of the army and the puritans who shared his desire for a godly society. They were a powerful minority but people disliked puritan ideas and the army was unpopular due to the huge cost causing taxes.
Healing and settling
Cromwell believed to heal the country following the civil war he needed to re-establish the social hierarchy with the top being held by landowners known as the gentry.
The gentry shared Cromwells desire for settlement and stability but saw his religious reforms and puritan views as a threat to society as they believed in a strong influential church to keep order and resented the power of the army.
The nominated assembly (barebones parliament) 1653
When Cromwell dissolved the rump Parliament he thought he would be able to achieve his aims with a new assembly. It’s members nominated by Cromwell and the army on the basis of their godly outlook. They also represented the gentry. They wer nicknamed After one of their more radical members praise god barebones.
This yet again failed and in 5 months they passed 30 laws but by December they were alarmed by the ideas of the radicals and voted to dissolve and hand back power to Cromwell.
Instrument of government Charles protectorate
Cromwell saw the end of barebones Parliament coming because for weeks his ally general lambert had been drafting a written constitution which in theory solved all political issues.
Provided the country with a head of state but restricted his power.
Aimed to keep army happy with regular tax to maintain a force of 30,000 men. Englands First standing army.
Set out a plan for a church settlement with Protestant Christianity to be the faith of the nation but there was to be religious freedom for any others who didn’t disturb the peace. The clever would guide and encourage religious devotion without rigid rules.
First protectorate Parliament 1654-55
The first elections were set in September 1654 and Cromwell created new measures which he hoped MPs would quickly accept and make law. His hope was quickly lost as the new MPs attacked the instrument of government claiming it was an illegal document. His opponents were very influential and criticised the instrument of government as it was written by Cromwells close ally. They also worried about Cromwell and the army growing too powerful.
They called for an immediate recall of the rump Parliament and for the army to be under the rumps control. They also refused to consider any of Cromwells proposals for religious tolerance.
Cromwell tried to compromise but insisted on four fundamentals
Government must be a single person and parliament
Parliaments could not sit endlessly without re-elections
There must be liberty of conscience in religion
Control of the army to be shared between lord protector and parliament.
Rule of the major generals
Cromwell was upset but the failure of the first protectorate Parliament. In March 1655 a royalist Rebellion was quickly crushed in Wiltshire but it showed Cromwell the royalist threat remained.
In April 1655 English military forces who were fighting the Spanish in the Caribbean suffered several defeats. Cromwell felt England was being punished by god for the lack of a godly reformation. To achieve his aim he divided England and wales into 11 military districts led by major generals, who would impose military discipline, crush royalist rebellions and impose a more godly society. Shutting Alehouses, stopping many popular sports and banning wild celebrations during religious festivals like Christmas. The army was paid for by the decimation tax introduced on royalists which cost them hugely and caused many to sell their homes and estates.
This also failed as most didn’t embrace religious reform and were annoyed by the loss of their leisure activities. The decimation tax also built old rivalries and divisions and definitely didn’t heal the nation. The army men had worked up to get their status so were a lower social standing then many they commanded causing mass annoyance.
Recall of Parliament and end of the major generals.
By 1656 the protectorate was facing financial crisis as the decimation tax failed to cover the cost of the major generals and the ongoing war with Spain. The generals advised Cromwell to call another parliament in the hope of new taxes. They assured him they would supervise elections so only sympathetic MPs returned.
When the MPs took their seats in the second protectorate Parliament Cromwell realised the generals had failed. Cromwell excluded over 100 MPs from parliament but even after this the remaining MPs refused to pass the militia bill that would allow the rule of the major generals to continue. Cromwell soon recalled the major generals and the military rule fizzled out.
Humble petition and advice 1657
By 1657 Cromwell was getting older and was being pulled in different directions. His older advisers the army officers advised him to stick to the instrument of government. Whereas the civilian MPs were willing to support his protectorate as long as the power of the army was limited. They wanted the instrument of government to be rewritten and for the country to return to normality as soon as possible. They wanted the protectorate to become a civilian system to bring back stability they wanted to make Cromwell king. They made their constitution and the offer of the crown in the humble petition and advice.
Key terms
Cromwell would be king and nominate his successor
New House of Lords to be created where Cromwell would nominate members
Parliament control taxation
Army reduced to save money
Parliament appoint key members of government
Cromwells response
He spent 3 months considering the offer
Pros
The offer of king was nice an it was from Parliament making a truly civilian constitution which made his position legitimate
Cons
It would alienate the army who had helped him greatly. Officers including lambert were angry it would make Cromwell king. They urged him to reject the offer as it would betray all they had worked for and be seen as an act of sin for selfish ambition.
Despite his desire to accept the offer of the crown led him to reject the humble petition and advice as he claimed god had struck down the monarchy and he shouldn’t rebuild it.
King in all but name
Instead of accepting the humble petition ans advice he compromised accepting a modified version which allowed him to remain lord protector rather than king, hoping to please everyone.
Cromwell was reinstalled as lord protector in what was basically a coronation with purple robes and a golden sceptre. He was addressing in Hampton court palace as your highness. King in all but name.
Second protectorate Parliament 1658
Second protectorate Parliament was reassembled in January 1658 and did so under the rules of the humble petition and advice many of cromwells closest supporters were promote to the upper house.
Cromwell was disappointed when it didn’t run smoothly as he faced vicious verbal assaults from republican MPs about the new constitution and how he had taken the role as king in all but name the threat was clear and the army was also unhappy so he dissolved Parliament, only lasting 3 weeks.
In his final months cromwells relationship with the army deteriorated with lambert being dismissed for refusing to swear an oath of allegiance. Many officers lost positions for publical criticism of Cromwell.
Few months later following the death of his daughter he also died in Ireland on the 3rd of September.
