Commonwealth of England

The Commonwealth of England was the form of government that ruled England after the execution of King Charles I in 1649. A commonwealth is a state ruled without a king or queen. During this period, England had no monarch. Instead, it was governed by Parliament and later by military leaders. The Commonwealth lasted until 1660.

The Commonwealth was created after the English Civil War. Parliament’s forces defeated the king’s army, and Charles I was captured. He was put on trial by a special court and executed in January 1649. After this event, Parliament declared that England would be a republic. The House of Lords was abolished, and the monarchy was ended.

At first, England was governed by a group called the Rump Parliament. This was the part of Parliament that remained after other members were removed. It passed laws and tried to control the country. However, it struggled to govern effectively. Many people were unhappy with its slow decisions and lack of clear direction.

In 1653, the army intervened. The leading figure was Oliver Cromwell, a general who had commanded Parliament’s forces. Cromwell dissolved the Rump Parliament and later became Lord Protector''. A protector was a ruler who governed on behalf of the state. England was still officially a republic, but Cromwell held most of the power. As Lord Protector, Cromwell ruled with the support of the army. England, Scotland, and Ireland were united under one government. Laws were passed to control religion and public behavior. Parliaments continued to meet, but Cromwell could dismiss them if they opposed him. After Cromwell died in 1658, his son Richard Cromwell briefly took his place. Richard Cromwell did not have strong support from the army or Parliament. His government soon collapsed. In 1660, leaders agreed to restore the monarchy. Charles II''', the son of Charles I, returned from exile and became king. The Commonwealth ended, and England returned to having a monarch.