Politics Flashcards
(21 cards)
Rump dissolved by Cromwell
April 1653
- Rumour that MPs wanted to pass legislation to keep themselves in power, Cromwell pressures them to dissolve
- Rump attempts to hold snap elections, Cromwell marches into Westminster and dissolves them
Nominated Assembly
June-December 1653
- 144 men chosen for godliness and reputation
- Failed to live up to expectations; conservative instincts were outraged by Cromwell’s proposals
- 4/5 were gentlemen, majority had been JPs
Instrument of Government
December 1653 by Lambert
- Made Cromwell Lord Protector
- Set up Parliament meeting at least every 3 years
- Council set up (form of Privy Council)
- Cromwell ruled by Ordinance until September 1654, issuing 82 (most importantly the system of triers and ejectors in 1654, which examined and expelled clergy)
First Protectorate
September 1654- January 1655
- Cromwell stressed aim of healing and settling nation
- MPs more interested in suppressing religious sects and challenging Instrument of Government
- Cromwell changed character of protectorate and started Major Generals’ rule
Penruddock’s rising
March 1655
- Royalist uprising
- Penruddock’s supporters tried and executed
- Demonstrated fragility of republic, Cromwell became more authoritative
Major Generals’ rule
1655-1657
- Country split into 11 sections governed by lead NMA member
- Decimation tax: 10% of annual income paid by Royalists to fund local militias
- Most Major-Generals were low-born and not respected (Barry was a clerk)
- Some were fearsome, Worsley closed ~200 alehouses in Chester
- No marked fall in convictions of vice or sexual immorality
- seen as military dictatorship by historians in the 1930s (obv)
Second Protectorate
September 1656- February 1658
- Hostility towards Major-Generals and decimation tax; abolished in January 1657
- Parliament keen on religious intolerance (Quaker Nayler case 1658)
- Abolished due to continued hostility and attacks on “other house” for attacking Parliament’s legislative supremacy
Quaker Nayler case
October 1658
- Re-enacted Christ’s entry into Jerusalem
- Cromwell stepped in to avoid a death sentence; he still received corporal punishment and life imprisonment
- Gap between tolerant Cromwell and intolerant Protectorate
Offer to the crown
- February 1657
-Parliament wanted to set limits on his power as Protector - Reasons for accepting: would heal divisions, bring back normality and stability within political nation, assert his power traditionally, win over royalists
- Reason why he declined: betrayal to army, would crumble his power foundation
- Cromwell turned down crown in April 1657
Humble Petition and Advice
- March 1657
- New constitutional agreement
- instated “other house” (like Lords, Cromwell appoints members accepted by Parliament, allows him to keep Commons in check)
- Council changed to Privy Council with max 21 members
- Annual grant of £1.3 million
- Right to nominate successor
King in all but name
- June 1657, Cromwell had an adapted version of coronation oath
- Addressed by foreign ambassadors as Your Highness, chants of “God save the Lord Protector”
Dunkirk captured
June 1658- great conquest
Cromwell dies
3 September 1658
Richard as Lord Protector
- Lacked his father’s abilities
- Lacked military and political standing; antagonised army by debating its reduction
- Republican MPs refused to recognise him as Lord Protector
Third Protector
January 1659
- Summoned due to financial problems; debt of £2.5 million and war with Spain
- Republican MPs refused to recognise him as Lord Protector
- Debated reduction of army, antagonising them
- Generals compelled Richard to recall the Rump
Rump recalled
Similarly hostile to army and Richard
Richard resigns
May 1659
- Causes mass instability- key reason for restoration
- Royalists took advantage and revolted
Booth’s royalist rebellion
- August 1659
- Crushed by Lambert, effectively took control after resignation
Committee of Safety by Lambert
October-December 1659
- Lambert dissolved Rump
- Rump tried to purge army high command and hold elections
- Army proved itself to be the main power and biggest threat to stability- given too much political standing
- Military rule imposed; divisions between generals and constant disagreements caused control to evaporate
- By December there was effectively no government
- Monarch would bring stability
Declaration of Breda
Monck had begun correspondance with Charles II
April 1660, promised:
- Pardon of parliamentarians except those who signed death warrant
- Respect of property rights
- Religious toleration (assured intolerant followers that elections would produce a pro-Royalist Parliament)
Convention Parliament
- April 1660
- voted unanimously to restore Charles, dated his reign back to January 1649
