Interregnum: Parliaments

Rump Parliament

1649 - 1653

Remainder of the ‘Long Parliament’ after Prides Purge (1648)

Claimed sovereign authority for the people and enacted landmark measures including the abolition of the monarchy and the House of Lords

Constant delays so very slow reform and had friction with army over pay

Forcibly dissolved by Cromwell in 1653 due to ‘blocking necessary reforms’

Barebones / Nominated Assembly

July - December 1653

Assembly of ‘godly men’ appointed by Cromwell to replace the Rump

Selections of members prioritised Puritans and prophets - Illegitimate

Dominated by radical Puritans and Fifth Monarchists

Failures was caused by internal divisions of moderates and radicals, lack of experience and resistance from civil officials

Voluntarily dissolved in Dec 1653 after members decided to hand power back to Cromwell

Instrument of Government

1653

Set out powers of; Protectorate, Council and Parliament

Created under army influence, mostly Lambert

Established single chamber Parliament and fixed triennial Parliaments

Strengths - First attempts to give constitutional for to post-regal gov. and to check arbitrary powers

Weaknesses - Lacked legitimacy, Relied on army enforcement, left ambiguous division of powers producing conflict

First Protectorate Parliament

1654 - 1655

Summoned under the Instrument of Gov as Parliament to rule over Eng,Wal,Sco,Ire

Cromwell sought a cooperative Parliament to fund and legitimise Protectorate and its military

Par and Pro clashed a lot

Dissolved by Cromwell after persistent obstruction and refusal to grant resources and authority he deemed necessary

Second Protectorate Parliament

1656 - 1658

Called after the rule of Major Generals and amid financial strain

Debated militia finance, attempts to regularise government revenue and restore civilian supremacy

Used by Cromwell to seek constitutional legitimacy and succession arrangements but still relied on patronage and army influence to secure outcomes

Produced Humble Petition and Advice and revealed the limits of Parliamentary compromise undergoing military influence

Humble Petition and Advice

1657

Constitutional proposition to formalise governance

Offered Cromwell the Crown

Proposed creation of second legislative chmaber, succession provisions,and statutory limits on powers of the Protectorate

Cromwell refused the crown but accepted a version where he had added powers of a traditional monarch whilst preserving some Republican forms

Marked regimes drift towards the conservative settlement and restored pre-war constitutional trappings e.g. alienating radical republicans

Third Protectorate Parliament

1659

Summoned  by Richard Cromwell after the death of Oliver to stabilise governance and secure funds amid political and economic crisis

Weak as he lacked his fathers authority and support from the army

Military pressure led to the recalling of the Rump 

Richard resigned, opening a pathway back to the monarchy 

The failures of this proved how reliant the other 2 Protectorates were on strong personalities and military backing.