2.5 Civil War to Restoration

• Civil War


  Brought permanent changes to power structures in England
• Charles I and James I

  • Believed they had been appointed by 'divine right' (directly by God)
  • Charles believed in absolutism (he should have total control)
  • Introduced censorship to stop criticism
• Many of Charles' subjects thought he was arrogant because he would not tolerate any challenge (even from nobles or Parliament)
• Charles' relationship with Parliament

  • Difficult from the outset
  • Scottish nobles angry that Charles tried to take back Church land
  • Many people concerned about Charles' pro-Catholic views
  • Charles waged wars, had to raise a lot of taxes
• Charles' actions


  1. Dissolved Parliament in 1626

  2. Reconvened in 1629 but then dissolved again until 1640 ('Personal Rule')

  3. Made everyone pay 'ship money' in 1635

  4. Marched an army north in 1638 when Scottish leaders refused to accept religious changes
• Charles refused to accept the proposals in the Grand Remonstrance (a document created by MPs that listed over 200 criticisms and demands)
• Charles' arrest of 5 MPs


  1. Accused them of treason

  2. Parliament gathered its forces

  3. Charles declared war on Parliament in August 1642
• People's views on how Charles should be treated

  • Some wanted to limit his power, others did not
  • After Second Civil War, majority still wanted king restored, but Cromwell and army commanders pushed for trial
  • 300 MPs who disagreed with trial thrown out of Parliament
• Many English people were genuinely shocked when Charles was put on trial and then executed in January 1649
• Victory of Parliamentarians


  1. Monarchy and House of Lords abolished

  2. Rump Parliament ruled 1649-1653

  3. Cromwell dismissed Rump in 1653

  4. Barebones Parliament ruled temporarily but dismissed by Cromwell

  5. Cromwell ruled as Lord Protector 1653-1658

  6. Parliament reformed, constituencies resized

  7. Cromwell divided England into regions ruled by major-generals

  8. Humble Petition and Advice in 1657 abolished major-generals, reduced army, gave more control over taxes
• Cromwell refused to become king when proposed in the Humble Petition and Advice
• Restoration of monarchy


  1. Cromwell's son Richard ruled 1658 but retired in 1659

  2. Parliament negotiated with Charles II, who accepted the terms of the Declaration of Breda and became king in 1660

  3. Charles II had control over laws but not ability to raise taxes without Parliament