The Story of The English Republic

[Tyburn]

:ninja:

The Remarkable tale of Mr Oliver Cromwell, How he destroyed the English Monarchy, How he founded a Republic, How he United The British Isles. This is the story of The Protectorate, and what became of it upon the death of one man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q76j0h1eCTk

Our Narrative begins two years into the Civil War. England was fractured in two when His Majesty King Charles Stuart I had a despute with his Parliament. Although he decided it was alright for Parliament to dictate policy on Tax. He wanted to stay as head of the Armed Forces, and He wanted to remain Head of the Church of England. Those who stood with him were called Royalists, those who though Parliament should have full control over all three areas were called Parliamentarians.

by 1644 The Parliamentarians had split in two. Those who supported an Army General from Manchester, and those who supported Oliver Cromwell. Manchester believed that the War was to force the King into listening to Parliament and thereby forcing the King to allow Parliament control over The Church and The Armed Forces as well as Taxation. He represented the Majority in Parliament who were Presbyterian and wanted to dissolve the Church of England and allow growth for other Denominations...like, for example, their own.

But there was a smaller group in the Parliament, known as Separatists. Amoung them was Oliver Cromwell who had been bought up protestant, been educated to University standard, and then he decided the answer lay in GOD making himself manifest through action. I imagine he became as infuriated with the Church as many of us on this Forum have at one time or another. He wanted a Christianity without an established Church. He believed in each individual being Guided by The Holy Spirit and not having to conform to any particular religious rite. Oliver Cromwell did not believe in Negotiation with King Charles. Further He was convinced that the Armed Forces themselves had to be reformed.

Oliver Cromwell came up with the idea of "The New Model Army" which was an army of professional, full time soldiers, who were not simply based anywhere, but were able to roam up and down the country, and indeed, be able to charge in Wales, or Scotland...or maybe even Ireland. There was one very other important thing about this Army. Unlike the British Army at the time, which the Parliament were using in their wars against the King. The New Model Army was completely Non Political. It was formed, and it fought, without allegience to the King, and was essentially separate from Parliament also. To be run by the Generals, and to be run according to Military Law.

in 1645, as funds began to wane for the British Army, the Parliamentarians created the New Model Army. Paid for by Parliament, and selected on Merit rather then Social Status, this new army was a breath of fresh air for the Parliamentarians

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSTypx1NSco

The New Model Army had a Chaplain, called Mr Baxter, who happened to be Presbyterian, rather then separatist. He was a little alarmed to find that the soldiers view was that The State had absolutely no place interfereing with Religion or the Church...and that because of that, for obvious reasons, King Charles would have to be defeated. Defeated was not the term used by the majority who wanted to negotiate. Defeated, meant...er...dethroned.

In 1647 Oliver Cromwell did infact offer the King a deal, by this point nothing, not even Parliament had the power to halt The New Model Army. Something else of note...despite Cromwell saying that noone in the Army was permitted to have political office. He himself, found himself in charge of a regiment, by request after the original General decided he wanted to leave the country :laugh: The Civil war in terms of Royalist Vs Parliamentarian was over. King Charles had lost the war, but there was still a civil despute between the Presbyterians and the Separatists. The Presbyterians wanted to replace the Church of England, thereby imposing Congregationalism. The Separatists wanted a non denominational tollerance of all...EXCEPT for Roman Catholicism, of course :laugh: Not knowing how to settle differences they decided that the legitamate King should decide :rolleyes:

The King decided that he would favour the Presbyterian Church instead of the Church of England. Thus he rejected Cromwells offering. Instead the Scotish Presbyterians began an invasion to Restore King Charles, since he had promised Presbyterians their national church.

Oliver Cromwell was not very impressed. :unsure-1:

Although we generally just say "the English Civil War" this is really The Second English Civil War...because this is parliamentarian Vs Parliamentarian and Presbyterian Vs Separatist...not Royalist Vs Parliamentarian...unless you want to say the Presbyterians had become Royalists...which I suppose you could. Anyway, for this venture Oliver Cromwell decided he would be incharge of the New Model Army and they journeyed to the north of England and Crushed the Scots

But Parliament, was STILL wanting to do peace with the King.

Oliver Cromwell had kittens.

So he marched into London, Removed the King, and went into Westminster and threw all the presbyterians out, by force. He did this with of course the consent of the council of officers, which were the generals of his New Model Army, and they fully supported him. The Separatists he left in the Chamber, and they became the new Parliament. :)

Oliver Cromwell decided that he was a Modern Day "Gideon" (who is a Character from the Bible, who GOD calls to lead armies) He decided also to put King Charles on Trial for High Treason. King Charles said he didnt recognise the Validity of the Court. He was found guilty, and sentanced to death via decapitation

At the end of January 1649, King Charles Stuart I was executed in public.

[Tyburn]

:ninja:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09F2D6KeGK8

There is of course one Problem with Killing the Monarch. That will not distroy the Monarchy. If you kill the King, the very first thing that happens is...you get a NEW King. King Charles Stuart II had escaped during the end of the first Civil war, and he was hiding. Whilst all of Europe was shocked and appauled at what was going on in England, none of them would help him gain his throne back by force.

Scotland aggreed to help him, despite having already tried once to invade England, and despite having already been crushed once by the New Model Army. But they wanted the same deal from the son that they had asked of the Father. A national Presbyterian Church to replace The Church of England.

Oliver Cromwell went Nuclear.

He charged up the New Model Army again, and this time he not only crushed the Scot army, he then went on to successfully invade Scotland all together...and when he got to Scotland he dissolved by force the Presbyterian Church leadership. At the same time, he sends the New Model Army into Ireland and takes over there also.

Then he journeyed back to London to see how Parliament was doing. In five years, they had not been able to sort anything out at all instead they had become corrupt, and decided they would like to be incharge of the New Model Army...Whether he knew that they were planning this from listening as a member of the public which he sometimes did to check up on them we will never know. But he appeared from nowhere, he brought with him the New Model Army. He declaried the parliament corrupt...and disposed of it.

The Republic was over, the Military Dictatorship began. As Oliver Cromwell declaired himself The Lord Protector. He did invite a Parliament to form and sit, but they simply complained about his position in the army, and matters of faith, blah, blah, blah So...he dissolved that one also.

He rulled as head of the Army, and the Army was everything to the Country. There was No King, there was No Government. The Republic had lasted Seven Years. In which time they had done almost nothing except continue to squabble about the same three areas, millitary control, which denomination to nationalize, and taxes, and had grown corrupt with the new wealth brought back by the conquests of the New Model Army.

In order to compensate for lack of Government, Oliver decided to set up a Council of Major-Generals, which would enforce Civic Life. Of course, this was civil life under Puritanic Military laws. They banned Casinos, They outlawed swearing...Brothels closed, Theatres Closed, many sporting events were closed. The Army closed down the Pubs also. It was practically Sharia! and this new Council was paid for by an increase in tax on known Royalists.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQk9nuhWBUU

This was unpopular, soooo to bring back favour and a counter ballence, Oliver ordained the third parliament since Charles. This Parliament asked Oliver to relinquish the Title of "Lord Protector" and instead to make himself "King" The Parliament was not being nice by making this suggestion. They saw Cromwell as a renagade, and saw that if he was King, he would first be able to rule with legitamte authority, and secondly, he would be in a difined office, one, ultimately, that had boundaries on power. For WTF actually is a Lord Protectorate??? and what powers doesnt he have...

The Army were Horrified, and whilst Oliver briefly considered it...Just like George Washington, he is perhaps the only other person in the entire history of the planet to be offered the position of King by a nation...and to refuse its application.

BUT what he did aggree to was a pseudo Coronation for his position as Lord Protector, during which he got to wear royal vestments, sat in the Chair used for Coronations, and did accept a rather large Golden Sceptre...That wasnt very puritanical of him really.

The crowed cried "GOD Save the Lord Protector" and the Royal Mint produced coins with his head on it, and the Order of the Garter prepared a Seal for him...and it included a Crown.

Less then a year later Oliver Cromwell was dead. He died in December of 1658, he died of natural causes, he simply fell ill and never recovered. When he died, the British Government and the Army went the whole hogg for his Funeral. He was marched through the streets as a cortege, He had a statue made, and they gave that statue a crown. He might not have called himself "King" but they had made him into one anyway.

By The Grace of GOD, Lord Protector Richard Cromwell was acclaimed less then three hours after his Fathers passing as Ruller of England.

Parliament saw a new opportunity in getting control of the Armed Forces by petitioning The NEW Lord Protector, The Army was not very happy and asked Cromwell to dissolve Parliament and come and join them instead. They decided that they could use Richard as a figure head, eliminating the Parliament once and for all, and ensuring the future of the Military Governance of the council of officers. Richard Cromwell did as he was told, and abolished Parliament.

out of absolutely nowhere, a Renegade group of Junior officers in the new model army effectively led a coup, forcing the Council of Officers to restore the Old Parliament that was abolished by Cromwell for being corrupt. When the Parliament met the first thing they did was put to the vote a plan for Restoration of The Monarchy!

Eight Months after the death of Oliver, Richard Cromwell resigned from his Office as Lord Protector, and the Military might of the New Model Army collapsed due to infighting. One General remained. His name was Mr Monk, who had been stationed with a group from The New Model Army, in Scotland after the invasion by Oliver Cromwell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aWPgd0PSqA

Monks background is fascinating. During the first Civil War he fought on the Royalist side. He was captured, became friends with Oliver Cromwell, and was asked to lead an Army for Cromwell, because he was picked on the basis of merit. He had been a good commander for the Royalists, and Cromwell convinced him to be a good commander for the parliamentarians once the Royal line was gone.

But the Royal line was not gone, and Monk saw his opportunity in the dissaray of the New Model Army following the Resignation of Richard Cromwell. He went to London with the Scot version of The New Model Army, and ordered that the Presbyterian wing of the Parliament that were pushed out by Cromwell be allowed back into join the Government. This would make the Government identical to the Government of Charles Stuart I

So now the Parliament sat again....and yet, something appeared to be missing. The problem with the Commons is they need someone to lead them. They cant do it without someone there to be the final authority. In a time before the democratic vote, apart from violence...how are politicians supposed to settle disputes?? they need someone to petition, and someone who has the authority to decide which party to side with....and yet someone who they can call to account if needs be, and someone they can have reasonable control over, and be relied upon to remain within constitutional boundaries.

Only a King will do.

Unable to opporate without that figure. The Parliament voted itself into oblivion. Leaving England with no Government, No King, No Protectorate, and a shattered army.

King Charles Stuart II then wrote and asked England if they would be requiring his services as King. He said that The Rights of the people are bound up in the rights of the King. It is the King that protects the people. Remove the King, and you remove the safeguard on the citizens. The King keeps Parliament in check, for the benefit of the people. Without the King the Parliament either end up corrupt and unable to rule, or they become a horrible form of dictatorship. It was the King who could decide matters and be the legitamacy both the Government, and the people need. His Authority comes from his Devine appointment by GOD.

King Charles Stuart II offered Royal pardon to all who had not been directly involved with the death of his Father. Charles said he wanted to restore himself as head of the Church of England, BUT that ALL denominations should be given free opportunity to express themselves...unless...of course, they were Roman Catholic.


Upon receiving the Letter General Monk called for a parliament. The Convention sat, and the speaker of the House was none other then Manchester! the General of the first Civil War that had lost out to Oliver Cromwell. The Ministers of Parliament before discussing the issue of Restoration went for a Service. The Surmon was given by none other then Mr Baxter, who you will remember had been the presbyterian chaplain to The New Model Army during the rise of Oliver Cromwell. He called it "The Surmon of Repentance" it claimed that both the presbyterian church and the church of England had been guilty of sinning because they wanted an established church at the exclusion of the other. He told the Ministers of Parliament that it was time for the House of Commons to unite and work together.

After going to Church They voted to restore the Monarchy.

in April 1661 King Charles Stuart II was crowned King of England. The House of Stuart had been restored.

"It was almost as though The Civil War, The Republic, and The Protectorate, had never been"

[Crisco]

I've read about Cromwell a bit... Very interesting man.

Shame what they did to his corpse after he died.

But then again he more then likely deserved the same treatment when he was alive.

[Tyburn]

I've read about Cromwell a bit... Very interesting man.

Shame what they did to his corpse after he died.

But then again he more then likely deserved the same treatment when he was alive.

:laugh: They exhumed him, and decapitated him I think...but...of course he was already dead before then...not sure what they did with his body after that.

[Crisco]

:laugh: They exhumed him, and decapitated him I think...but...of course he was already dead before then...not sure what they did with his body after that.

Pretty much beat the hell out ofi t... Hung it from a tree dragged it with horses.

Really did whatever they could to try and desicrate it ol

[Tyburn]

Hung it from a tree dragged it with horses.



:huh:Tyburn :huh:

They would hang people by using a horse to raise a rope over a gigantic tripod known as a "gallows tree"

:laugh: