English Interregnum
Background
The English Interregnum was a period of parliamentary and military rule by the Commonwealth of England from 1649 to 1660 following the end of the Second English Civil War and the trial and execution of Charles I of England. This period saw England and Wales, later along with Ireland and Scotland, ruled as a republic following the end of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms in 1651.
The Regicide
The Regicide of King Charles I took place on January 30, 1649, marking the beginning of the Interregnum. The King was tried and executed for high treason and other high crimes by the English Council of State, which had declared itself the supreme authority in the land following the end of the Second English Civil War.
The Commonwealth
The Commonwealth was the period from 1649 to 1653 when England and Wales, later along with Ireland and Scotland, were ruled as a republic. The republic's existence was declared by the Rump Parliament on 19 May 1649. Power in the early Commonwealth was vested primarily in the Parliament and a Council of State. During this period, fighting continued, particularly in Ireland and Scotland, between the parliamentary forces and those opposed to them, known as the Royalists.
The Protectorate
In 1653, after the dissolution of the Rump Parliament and Barebone's Parliament, Oliver Cromwell was appointed Lord Protector of the Commonwealth under the terms of the Instrument of Government. This marked the start of the Protectorate, which was to last until 1659, with Cromwell's son, Richard, succeeding him for a brief period.
The Restoration
The Restoration of the monarchy began in 1660, when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II of England. The term Restoration is also used to describe the period of several years after, in which a new political settlement was established.