The Protectorate Flashcards
When was Cromwell made Lord Protector
16 December 1653
Give some powers of the Lord Protectorate
Chief executive and magistrate in England, Scotland and Ireland
Control of the militia and the navy
Power of war, peace + make treaties with foreign states
Give some limitations of the Lord Protectorate
Must call parliament when England goes to war
Must sign bills within 21 days, otherwise, bills automatically become law
No parliament to be dissolved within 5 months
How many members were in parliament under the Instrument of Goverment
460 - 30 each for Scotland and Ireland
As compared to 5 in N.A
Give some strengths of the Council of State
Chooses the Lord Protector’s successor after his death
Majority consent needed to go to war
Selects new members of the council of state from parliament’s nominees
Give two significant features about MP’s in parliament under Instrument of Gov
Royalists excluded unless proven their loyalty
Catholic and Irish rebels excluded
Give two significant features about the army under the Instrument of Gov
Annual provision for an Army of 30,000 men + a navy - of which Cromwell controls!
To cost £200,000 per year
Give two significant features about the church under the Instrument of Gov
Tithes to be preserved
Liberty of conscious - “none shall be compelled”
Liberty of worship for protestants who don’t disturb the peace
Who wrote the Instrument fo Government
General Lambert + issued by the Army council
When did the first Protectorate Parliament sit and what is significant about its end
3rd September 1654 - 22nd January
Dissolved as quickly as possible (after the 3 month minimum)
Give a major reason why the First Protectorate Parliament was dissolved
Cromwell was unhappy by repeated attempts by Parliament (Sir Arthur Hailsrig) to amend the terms of the instrument and to return executive power to Parliament
Critics of the Instrument became known as Commonwealthsmen - fairly republican
Cromwell was prepared to negotiate some terms of the Instrument (“circumstantial”) but there were 4 fundamentals that were non-negotiable
What were the 4 Fundamentals
The government must be by a single person + parliament
Parliament must not make itself perpetual. Lord Protector must maintain power to dissolve parliament as per the terms of the Instrument
Liberty of Conscience and religion
Control of the Army should be by the Lord Protector as well as the councils and state + parliament
What was the impact of the 4 Fundamentals
All MP’s required to swear an oath of recognition for these fundamentals. 8–100 resigned as a result
However, their exclusion didn’t stop criticism of Cromwell
What was the Goverment Bill put forward by the Commenwealthsmen in December (to amend the instrument)
Parliament to have the power to make constitutional amendments and choose Lord p’s successor
Parliament to give consent before war
Parliament to have the sovereign right to raise taxation - threatened the army’s existence
Why were the commonwealthsmen led by Sir Arthur Hailsrigh so opposed to Cromwell?
Sae his subsequent actions after the Rump’s dissolution as a dangerous drift towards arbitrary kingship
Other than Commonwelathsmen attempting to change the instrument why else did Cromwell dissolve the First Protectorate Parliament
“Godly reformation” was not preserved and instead it appeared that toleration would be narrowed - mainly due to the presbyterian majority in parliament
Electoral reform had led to a redistribution of constituencies and a shift of power away from towns and into counties. This made it more difficult to control Parliamentary business as county MP’s were a more dispersed and diverse group
What didn’t occur during the First Protectorate Parliament
Dissolved without a single piece of legislation being passed during its existence
After the DIssolution of the First Protectorate Parliament what 2 events made Cromwell decide to rule by Major Generals
Western Design
Penruddock Uprising
What was the Penruddock uprising
Planned royalist uprising in 1655
However, only a few took part (only 10 arrived at one of the planed RDV points)
Only remotely successful rising took place in Wiltshire under Jhon Penruddock
Held Sailsbiruy for a few hours before defeated by a small calvery force. Penruddock executed in May 1655
What was the Western Design
December 1654 - British Naval force sent to the West indies tasked with seizing Hati from the Spanish as the first step for securing the West Indies for Britain
However, the Spanish were able to repel the invading force which was a devastating blow for the overall strategy
What was the effect of the Western Design
Drove Cromwell into a crisis of confidence
First time God had refused the Protecteroate’s cause - national day of fasting and humiliation
Cromwell interpreted it as showing God’s displeasure in the form of reverse providence
Which was more significant between Penrussock and Western Design in initiating RUle by major Generals
Western Design
Cromwell spent the latter part of his military career dependent upon God’s providence and owed all of his successes to God. To finally fail caused Cromwell to rethink how England was governed to win back God’s favour
Penruddock was utilised as a justification for his pre-determined decision to rule by major Generals
How did Rule by Major Generals work
England divided into 11 districts - each under a Major General who was supported by 500 soldiers
Responsible for ensuring local magistrates were vigorous in crushing resurgent royalism and zealous in their pursuit of godly reformation
Give a social reason why the Major General rule was unsuccessful/unpopular
- Undermined from the start in a country that had only recently overthrown the king in order to protect the privileges and liberty of parliament - only to suffer the dubious legality of martial rule
- focal point for growing dissatisfaction
As an MP observed in 1659 “Any government is better than no government, and any civil is better than a military government”
Give a financial reason why the Major General rule was unsuccessful/unpopular
Huge financial burden
Cost of maintaining a standing army of 500 troops per Major General added yet another fiscal burden on the already weighed down population
Decimation tax levied on Royalist estates in order to raise enough - removing 10% annual revenue. Contrary to the healing and settling Cromwell sought and did not raise enough money anyway
By 1656, annual expenditure was exceeding income by £………
£230,000
Give 3 reasons why major General Rule was unpopular/unsuccessful
- Social dissatisfaction with martial rule
- Financial burden
- Extent to which the Major Generals enforced Godly reformation (Most significant)
In terms of Cromwell’s aim of Godly reformation - give some successes for rule by major Generals
Moral Instruction order 1655 - restricted alcohol selling and closed gambling houses + theatres
Major Generals utilised the army to extreme effect - enforcing rigorous campaign in their districts, combatting drunkness, applying blasphemy laws and punishing indecent behaviour
HOWEVER - at the cost of social satisfaction. To the conservative majority, it created fear and fury that their traditions and pastimes were being eroded
Give an example highlighting the extent to which Godly reformation caused social distress
Major General Worsley was so over-committed to Godly reformation (closing two hundred alehouses in a small section of district) that he had to be instructed to moderate himself due to his district being on the verge of revolt
Major General Whally achieved less in the way of godly reformation BUT helped keep social order without the need for harsh measures
When and why did Cromwell call a Second Protectorate Parliament
September 1656
Major General dissatisfaction + could no longer finance the was which had resulted from the Western Design
How did Cromwell influence the Second Protectorate Parliament
Cromwell and the Council of State excluded more than 100 MP’s - notably those who’d tended to oppose Cromwell’s measures in the First Protectorate Parliament
Despite Cromwell being anti-catholic, what action did he take which highlights his commitment to liberty of conscious
John Southworth was executed for being a Jesuit in 1654 but Cromwell protested against his execution and arranged for his proper burial
The relationship between the Catholics was now one of peacekeeping and practicality
Catholics largely left alone
Comwell believed in religious toleration, however, it was…………and………..by Palriament
Hindered
Restricted
How was Cromwell’s liberty of Conscious directed towards Jews
Manasseh ben Israel petitioned for Jewish re-admittance inti England
Discussed at a conference in Dec 1655. Although it was rejected, Cromwell quietly made sure Jews were allowed back into England
Give a counterpoint that Cromwell’s Jewish re-admittance wasn’t because of liberty of conscious but because of practicality
Cromwell’s desire rooted in Milleneriasm
Understood the bible to say that Jews needed to be converted to Christianity as part of the apocalyptic process.
For that, he needed them back in England
What was the extent of religious toleration within the Protestant Sects
Very high
Most Protestant sects had defined their own understanding of what was orthodox and blasphemous
However, the Blaspmey legislation of 1648-50 provided the most legal up to date definition of Orthodoxy - which was more narrowly Preysbeterian than the prevailing climate of the Protectorate
Cromwell had managed to create a larger space for religious practice than was originally defined by the Blashmey legislation
Which two religious cases threatened to upset the religious equilibrium of Protestant sects
John Biddle
James Nayler
Who was John Biddle
A Socinian who published ‘A Twofold Catechism’ which outlined his Soconian beliefs and bought him into the attention of the distinctly conservative First protectorate Parliament
What happened to Biddle
Arrested by FIrst Protectorate Parliament in line woth the Blashmey Act
Whilst under arrest - religious floodgate had been unleashed. Groups on the radical fringes began to gather together, prepared to defend themselves against what they saw as the new wave of toleration
Was Cromwell religiously tolerant with Biddle
Yes
Despite acknowledging the legality of the Blasmphey Act, he acted in order to protect the ‘godly’ caught up in Parliament’s unfurling net
To end the Biddle Action he dissolved the First Protectorate Parliament, complaining that “Everyone desires to have liberty but none will give it”
Despatched Biddle to the Scilly isles - out of parliament’s reach
Who was James Naylor and what was Parliament’s response
Chief catalyst behind the breakdown of the 2nd Protectorate Parliament
Former soldier and dedicated Quaker
1656 - rode into Bristol on a donkey in a dramatic re-enactment of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem
Second Protectorate Parliament arrested him through the Blashmpey Act, and punished him by boring hole in tongue, flogging and sentencing him to life imprisonment
What was the effect of the Nayler case in Cromwell
Personally found Nayler’s behaviour distasteful - saw Quakers as socially disruptive
However, the case demonstrated to Cromwell that the Instrument of Goverment did not provide enough protection to religious liberty and the conservative nature of the Parliamentary classes meant this liberty was perpetually under threat
By early 1657 it was clear to Cromwell that the current constitutional experiment neither brought about the………………………………..that he knew was necessary for…………, nor enshrining………..of…………….
Healing and settling
Stability
Liberty of Conscious
What was the Militia Bill
December 25th 1656
Major General Desborough chose the day to introduce Militia Bill - turn the Decimation tax from a temporary measure to a permanent one
The major generals were already unpopular but the Decimation tax was the high watermark for their unpopularity and pushed the growing polarity between civilians and military into the open
What was the Humble Petition and Advice
Febuary 1657
Similar to what the 19 propositions had envisaged in 1642, establishing a limited monarchy
- New definition of religious liberty and tolerance
- Establishment of a national church with wide Concession of Faith
- Reduction of COuncil of State to small group similar to privy Council
- Creation of Upper Chamber
- REINSTATEMENT FOR THE OFFICE OF THE MONARCH
What was civilian reaction to the Humbel Petition and Advice
Sir Arthur Hailsrig led a faction of Republicans against it. Deeply opposed to the creation of an Upper Chamber
However, civilians - more conservative than army officers - supported it as would give Parliament greater power
What was army reaction to the Humble Petition and Advice
Many in the army were opposed to the idea that Cromwell should be King
Desborough and Lambert threatened to resign in protest
What was Cromwell’s reaction to the Petition
Rejected it’s offer of the crown it on 13th April after long consideration - sent back for another redraft
Why did Cromwell reject the crown?
- Perhaps because Cromwell could not reconcile being king with his Christian faith. He was anxious about providence that God might turn against him if he committed sins of pride and ambition
- Or that the offer of the crown was intended to limit Cromwell’s power rather than extend it. As king, Cromwell’s power would be defined by precedent whereas as Lord protector - no historical conventions to limit his power.
Therefore, perhaps rejected it as it would have reduced his own power and made him unable to create the country he envisaged (Godly reformation)
What happened when the Humble Petition and Advice was amended to remove the monarchy
Cromwell accepted it in June 1657
Invested as Lord Protector using St Edward’s Chair (previously used to enrol monarchs)
Presence of military reduced addressed as Your Highness and lived in Whitehall
