Chapter 16: Cromwell, the Protectorate, Major-Generals, and relationships with the PN Flashcards
What was included in the Instrument of Government?
- Protector=head of state
- P elected every 3 years, sitting for minimum of 5 months
- militia controlled by P and Protectorate
- Council of state are crucial as balance power of Protectorate and P
What did Republicans want during the First Protectorate?
- reduce armed forces
- reduce Cromwell’s power (over army + ordinances)
Why were Republicans concerned about Cromwell’s power during the first Protectorate?
- he didn’t need P approval for ordinances etc. so cpuld cause dictator ship like atmosphere
- Cromwell’s control of army
- need to reduce armed forces
What did P do to be a threat?
- P trying to control religion over Protectorate and Council despite Protectorate already enforcing religious freedom + toleration
When was the First Protectorate?
Sep 1654-Jan 1655
What did Cromwell respond with after Republicans attack his position?
- Fundamentals of government
- included govt. by a single person + Parliament, liberty of conscience (religious freedom), regular elections to ensure no perpetuation
- included militia controlled by Protector, Council + Parliament
- Recognition (MPs take oath of the first of fundamentals) which 100 MPs refuse on principle and withdraw from P
What is Biddle’s Case (1654)?
- Biddle denied Holy Trinity so accused of blasphemy by MPs
- Commons declared he should be imprisoned and works burnt
- P attempting to control religion over Protectorate + Council
- MPs attacks on Instrument and P’s failure to find army cause Cromwell to dissolve P (Jan 1655)
Why was there a rule of Major Generals / reform?
- Religious reformation: used to enforce godly reformation
- Failure of Western Design: Failure of the Spanish attack suggested reform was needed
- Finance: Decimation tax introduced under MGs to reduce army to cheaper militia by shifting tax burden to ex-royalists
- Royalism: Penruddock’s rising of March 1655 indicates the threat of royalism
How did Lambert establish the rule of the Major Generals?
- split England into 11 areas, each ruled by a MG
- gave instructions to MGs of August + October 1655 and June 1656 to help prevent rebellions
What the focus of the Major Generals?
- security of the regime, some had personal goals eg. godliness
How did the PN react to the rule of Major Generals?
- Government: conservatives keep being removed so conservative PN aren’t represented in govt. + PN control of localities threatened due to bigger role of gentry (soldiers)
- Religion: conservative PN fear religious radicalism + increase of Quakers
- Finance: increase tax to support army + Decimation tax for royalists which puts off reconciliation
To the PN they all seemed like breakdown in order and hierarchy
When did the Second Protectorate sit?
- Sep 1656
What is the Militia Bill (Jan 1657)?
- enforces Decimation tax and make it permanent
What is the Decimation tax?
10% of annual income of wealthy royalists to fund local militias
What happened during the debates over the Militia Bill?
- power struggle between military and civilians
- Cromwell saw it wouldn’t lead to long term stability so abandoned MGs and opposed the Bill
