Civil War and Commonwealth
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Charles I lost the war and was executed in 1649. The Battles of Marston Moor and Naseby were two of the most important engagements during the English Civil War around this time. The army took control, and the country’s political structure shifted to the Commonwealth, which meant that England was now governed as a republic. There was no monarch; power lay instead with the people and their elected representatives. Oliver Cromwell, one of the army’s generals, led a campaign in Ireland to re-establish the authority of the English Parliament.
The Scots, who were opposed to the execution of Charles I, wanted his son, Charles II, to be king. Charles II led a Scottish force into England but was defeated by Cromwell’s forces. As a result, Parliament gained control of Scotland too, in addition to England and Wales.
Cromwell ruled as Lord Protector until his death in 1658. His son Richard, who succeeded him, lacked both the military and the political power of his father. Support grew for the restoration of the monarchy.
The Restoration
In 1660, Charles II was restored to the throne and began to rule over England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. This period is called ‘The Restoration’. Charles II understood the importance of maintaining a good relationship with Parliament, and his political views were largely in line with theirs. The Church of England was also re-established during his reign.
In 1679, an important piece of legislation, the Habeas Corpus Act, was passed. The name means ‘you must present the person in court’, and it remains a fundamental legal protection: no one can be imprisoned unlawfully. Everyone has the right to be brought before a court, which then decides whether the arrest or imprisonment is lawful.