REPUBLICAN BRITAIN (1649-1660)

It was only time since 1066 when Britain had no monarch.

Who ruled? Rump Parliament. They decided:

1. To abolish office of the king

2. To abolish House of Lords

3. To abolish Anglican Church

Act: England = Commonwealth and a Free State

House of Commons were supreme authority

Executive powers: taken up by Council of State

Oliver Cromwell's parliament was far more severe.

SCOTLAND

Scots were shocked by king's execution. They promised to Charles II (son of the executed king) that they will help him to bring back English throne. But was a failure and Charles II had to escape to France.

IRELAND

Cromwell decided to punish Irish Catholics for Protestant's executions.

1641 - towns: Drogheda, Wexford were captured and a lot of Irish Catholics were killed.

PARLIAMENT - ARMY

Tense between army and parliament and parliament itself had a different groups which quarreled with each other.

Levellers - wanted everybody to be on the same level. They campaigned against social distinction, they wanted to replace monarchy and nobility.

Thet wanted every man over 21 have ability to choose MPs and religious tolerance.

Constant disagreements caused in 1653 end of Republican Britain and Protectorate was established. The country was ruled only with the army. Oliver Cromwell became really unpopular. He ruled the country with iron hand.

WHY WAS CROMWELL GOVERNMENT SO UNPOPULAR:

1. Strict censorship

2. No celebration

3. No theatres/pubs etc.

4. It was even forbidden to celebrate Christmas and Easter

1657 - Cromwell was offered a throne, but he refused it.

1658 - Cromwell died, and was succeeded by his son Richard (but he was completely failure). He couldn't control the army and commanders quarreled. The Protectorate survived for 8 months.

1659 - time of anarchy, no Lord Protector, no Parliament. Rump Parliament had been dismissed because they couldn't find consensus.

1660 - Resolution. English people decided they need a king. They knew that Charles I's son - also Charles is in France so they invited him to come back to England.

CHARLES II - Stuarts back on the throne 1660-85

Actions of Cromwell cancelled. He decided to punish only those who were directly responsible for his father death. He knew he couldn't punish everyone because of danger of rebellion.

He gave Parliament duties. He lived in France - so he was attracted to Catholic Church.

1673 - Test Act set by Parliament - any Catholic was forbidden to hold public office - INCLUDING the king. As the result of fear from Catholics first political parties were formed:

1. The Wighs - descendants of the parliamentarians. They were against holding regular army. They were afraid of divine right and Catholic faith. King should rule with the help of Parliament. -> later they formed Liberal Party.

2. The Tories - supported the Crown and the Anglican Church -> later they formed The Conservative Party.

Charles II disaster:

1. The Great Plague - 1665 - thousands of victims

2. The Great Fire - 1666 - it was a disaster but it also helped to stop The Great Plague

3. Christopher Wren - he rebuilt London after fire

Charles II:

1. “The merry monarch” - famous from his decadent lifestyle

2. Dying confessed that he was Catholic

3. Supported succession of his Catholic brother - James -> and he became last Catholic monarch

JAMES II

He wanted to restore Catholicism. People feared that the story of Bloody Mary will happen one more time. James appointed many Roman Catholics to important positions and they were allowed to study. It was a mistake.

The Declaration of Indulgence (=toleration) - abolished laws against Roman Catholics and Nonconformists. It was also a mistake.

1688 - James Catholic son was born -> it seemed to be Catholic dynasty. English prompted conspiracy against James II. They wanted to replace him with Mary and her Protestant husband - William of Orange (from Holland).

1688 - on Guy Fawke's Day: The Glorious Revolution/The Bloodless Revolution. It was not a bloody event. James II was deposed.

MARY II + WILLIAM III OF ORANGE

They were joined rulers - for the first time in England. Remarkable: English people decided themselves their candidates for the Crown, it wasn't inherited.

1689 - Mary and William had to sign Bill of Rights:

1. Parliament was main power in the country (summoned every year)

2. King couldn't question decisions or dismiss Parliament

3. King couldn't act against MPs for what they said or did

4. Beginning of the era of limited constitutional monarchy

New theories: government was based upon consent of the people. It was Parliament, not king who was the main power. King's power should be limited and he should consult decisions with Parliament.

1701 - Act of Settlement - only a Protestant could inherit the throne. If Mary had no children (which was very likely) - then the throne should go to her protestant sister Anne. This act is binding (obowiązujący) even today.

A lot of blood in Ireland and Scotland -> Jacobites active.

JACOBITISM

Jacobites were supporters of deposed James II (he was still alive). Name originated because Jacobite is latin word for James. Many Irish and Scots joined them. There was one attempt to get back the throne: Ireland with 6000 French soldiers. But they were defeated in the Battle of the Boyne and went back to France.

PROTESTANT PARLIAMENT IN DUBLIN

1. Catholic Irish punished for supporting James II

2. They couldn't be MPs and couldn't accept any public post

3. Even catholic schools were forbidden

4. Catholic became second class citizens, although they were still majority in the country

QUEEN ANNE (1702-14)

Act of Settlement - James II's Catholic son was excluded from the succession. Anne was last Stuart. Jacobites decided to revolt in the name of James II's son, but it was unsuccessful.

HISTORIA - WYKŁAD - 08.12.2011

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