#english_history 

## Cromwell
The strongest MP was an East Anglian gentleman farmer named **Oliver Cromwell**. He created a new "model" army, the first regular force. He invited into his army educated men who wanted to fight for their beliefs.

## The King's fate
After [[The Stuarts|Charles I]]'s capture in 1645, the Parliamentarians did not know what do with him. They could either bring him back and allow him to rule, or remove him and create a new political system. By this most people wanted the king back. But some MPs were determined to get rid of the king. $\frac{2}{3}$ of the MPs did not want to put the king on trial, but they were removed from Parliament by the army, and the remaining judged him and found him guilty of high treason. On 31st January, 1649 he was executed.

## The Republic
In 1649-1660 Britain was a republic, but it was a failed experiment. Cromwell and his friends created government far more severe than Charles's had been, getting rid of the House of Lords and the Anglican Church.

The Scots, who were avowed supporters of the Stuarts, were shocked and invited Charles I's son, Charles II, to join them in their fight. After the Scot army was crushed, Charles II was lucky to escape to France. Later Cromwell sent an army to Ireland to avenge the Protestant deaths in 1641 and to crush a rebellion there. There was great bloodshed.

The army remained the most powerful force in the land. Disagrements between the army and Parliament -> Parliament's dissolution in **1653**. Many in the army held "strange" beliefs, like the **"Levellers"**, who wanted a new equality among all men, a Parliament's meeting once every 2 years, etc, and the **"Diggers"**, who were agrarian socialists.

From 1653 Britain was governed by Cromwell alone, who became "Lord Protector" with far greater powers than King Charles had had. His government was extremely brutal and thus unpopular.

When Cromwell died in 1658, the Protectorate collapsed. Oliver wanted his son, Richard Cromwell, to take over, but one of the army commanders in **1660** marched to London and invited Charles II. The republic was over.

## Charles II
![[The Stuarts#^dafc79]]