Intregnum Flashcards
Navigation act
- Source of division between army and rump
- Navigation act (51)
- More money spent on navy so looked like counterweight
- Disliked fighting against a Protestant republic
Why was there limited reform from the rump
- 22/41 had not approved if regicide
- Majority were conservative
- Also invited some back from prides purge
What were the two key reasons for the failure of the rump
- PNs conservative demands set against radical minority’s demand for more reform
- Army held real power
Blasphemy act
To prevent threat of radicals
Nominated assembly
Power left in Cromwell’s hands but he didn’t want power
Instrument of government
- Named protector head of state
- Parliament elected every 3 years to sit for min of 5 months
What were Cromwell’s two aims
- Healing and settling (establish a stable form of government)
- Religious and social reform
Why did Lambert construct the protectorate role
To balance poetically unrestricted power of parliament
What have Cromwell lots of power as protectorate
- Authority to enact ordinances without parliament
2. Control of army
How did Cromwell respond to parliamentary attacks on his power
The ‘fundamentals of government’
- Joint control of army with parliament
- Ensured regular elections
- Liberty to tender consciences
What caused ‘The Recognition’
Forced form opposition from hardened republicans.
The recognition
MPs take an oath acknowledging ‘government by single person and parliament’
How many refused the oath of recognition
100 MPs reused and had to withdraw
Biddel case
1654 - Denied the trinity - Parliament enforcing what they saw as their right to control religion - Caused Cromwell to dissolve parliament
What caused Cromwell to dissolve the first protectorate parliament
- Biddles case
- Parliaments failure to fund the army
When was rule of the major generals
55-57
What were the reasons for the introduction of Major generals
- Reaction to failure of first parliament
- Apparent renewed royalist threat
- To enforce religious reformation
- Decimation tax on royalists to fund army
Penruddocks rising
March 1655 - Indicated threat of royalists - Major generals introduce
What two major generals showed how effective it was was really down to disposition
- Edward Whalley hugely helped the poor in his area
2. Berry focused on the idea of religious reformation
Why did PN not like Major generals
- Posed a threat to PNs control of localities
2. Although not removed or replaced they felt alienated by the greater role played by soldiers and lesser gentry
What were the finical issues of the protectorate
- High levels of tax on PN
- No financial settlement achieved
- Decimation tax hindered acceptance of regime by royalists
Religion under protectorate
- NMA linked with religious radicalism
- Prevented persecution of radicals
- Raised fear in PN
- Explosion of Quaker numbers in 1650s heightened this fear
What shows Cromwell’s shift towards healing and settling rather than godly reform
- Calling of second parliament
- Abandonment of militia bill and generals
- Showed compromise towards a parliamentary settlement
The humble petition and advice
- More traditional form of government with a monarch
- More appealing to PN
