The English Civil War (1642 – 1646)

The Parliament set to work with ruthless efficiency when it reconvened in November. Raising taxes without Parliament approval was made illegal; the primary instruments of Charles' centralized bureaucracy were abolished; and finally, Parliament passed a law that allowed Parliament and Parliament along to dismiss itself; in addition, it passed the law that Parliament had to meet at least every three years. 

Charles went along with these measures, but when rebellion broke out in Ireland, radicals in Parliament proposed a bold move. Charles was asking for troops to send to Ireland, but the radicals did not believe that Charles could be trusted with an army. So, they proposed that the army be directly under Parliament's control. This was too much for Charles to bear, so he invaded Parliament with his army. This move, bold and foolish at the same time, inspired Parliament to issue the Militia Ordinance, which declared the army under Parliamentary control. Thus began the English Civil War.

The English Civil War started as a conflict between Parliament and Charles over constitutional issues. The War fired its way to its conclusion through the growing religious division in England. The monarch was supported by the aristocracy, landowners, and by the adherents of the Anglican Church, which retained the ceremonies and hierarchy so despised by the Puritans. The Parliamentary cause was supported by the middle class, the Puritans, and the radical Protestants. In 1642, Parliament reorganized its army under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell, who called his army "The New Model Army." In 1645, the Parliamentary Army defeated the royal army and in 1646, Charles surrendered. However, the king did not lose his crown – Charles, in name at least, was still king of England, who did not wish to maintain this situation. After several years of trying to recapture power, Charles was finally arrested by Parliament, tried for treason, and executed.

It's impossible to describe how revolutionary this action was. Parliament had declared itself supreme over the king, who, in European political theory, ruled by the election of God. If something or someone is supreme over the king, why should people need a king? This was frightening new territory. When Charles was publicly executed, the gathered masses remained absolutely mute. No one said a word and many wept openly. They were experiencing the first great shock of a brave new world. 

Long Parliament (1640 – 1653)

Long Parliament refers to a session of the English Parliament that lasted without a break from 1640 to 1653. It was not formally dismissed until 1660. The Long Parliament opened with a direct conflict with King Charles I. It met during the English Civil War in the 1640's, ordered the king's execution in 1649, and tried to rule in the uneasy years after the war. It was finally dismissed to make way for a new Parliament under King Charles II. In its early sessions, the Long Parliament make many lasting political reforms. It abolished courts controlled by the monarchy, including the Star Chamber and the Court of Requests. It declared that the king could neither collect money nor dismiss Parliament without its consent. It also brought about the execution of Charles's chief advisers, the Earl of Strafford and Archbishop William Laud.

On religious questions, the Long Parliament was seriously divided. Presbyterians opposed Puritans, and neither side would budge. Civil war began when the king's supporters withdrew from Parliament, and the House of Commons soon became divided into Presbyterians, who were moderate supporters of the king, and Independents, who favored strong controls on the crown. The army, under Oliver Cromwell, supported the Independents. In 1648, an army detachment under Colonel Thomas Pride kept the Presbyterian majority from entering the House. "Pride's Purge" resulted in what was called "the Rump Parliament," which had less than a fifth of the usual number of members. This remainder of the Long Parliament carried out the execution of Charles I, and it made England a commonwealth. Cromwell, the real power in the commonwealth, was unable to work with the Rump Parliament, and he suppressed it in 1653. However, he could not replace the Rump Parliament with an efficient legislature.

Oliver Cromwell and the Interregnum

For eleven years, from 1629 to 1640, England had been governed without a parliament. Then, for another eleven years, from 1649 to 1660, it was to be governed without a monarchy. Soon after the execution of King Charles I the monarchy and the House of Lords were abolished and England was named ‘a Commonwealth or Free State.’ It was to be run by Parliament, which would not only legislate and raise taxes, but would also perform the duties traditionally reserved for the monarch, such as running the judiciary and heading the army. A Council of State was appointed to carry out executive and administrative duties, working by means of a number of committees. The council was composed of forty-one members who had to be elected every year.

The real power, however, was Oliver Cromwell. He had the army. He eventually tired of the arguments and the corruption in Parliament, and dispersed it by force in 1653. Thus ended the English commonwealth.

The new state set up by Cromwell was called the "Protectorate," and the officers of the army drafted a new constitution for this unique institution. Cromwell, as "Lord Protector," served as a dictator. The Lord Protectorship was made a hereditary office, and the Parliament was dismissed permanently. For all practical purposes, Cromwell had made himself absolute monarch over England, an achievement that the English kings could only dream of.