Britain 1649-53

The Rump Parliament (The Long Parliament after it was purged in December 1648)

• Weaknesses:
  • Faced opposition from most political and religious groups from all three kingdoms and from the monarchs of Europe
  • Faced the expectations of devout Puritans that it would introduce a Godly society
  • MPs themselves were divided and lacked a political leader
  • Seen as the army's creation
• The army was the one factor working in the Rump's favour, for it could use its power to defeat the Rump's enemies
  • Crushed the levellers in 1649
  • Also dealt with the Irish that year
  • Turned to crush the Scots in 1650
  • Defeated a Scottish invasion forced led by Charles II in 1651
  • Only after this was the Rump's position really secure
• However, after this the army turned its attention to the Rump
  • The Soldiers had expected the Rump to introduce radical refrms before dissolving itself
  • Neither of these things happened
  • In April 1653 the army lost patience and Cromwell, accompanied by 20-30 musketeers, entered the Commons and expelled the Rump of the Long Parliament

The Establishment of the Republic

• The Rump had to devise a new system of government now that monarchy was abolished, but had no blueprint for doing so
• Especially after February 1649, when MPs who had…