Interregnum

Literally “between reigns,” interregnum refers to the time when England was kingless after the regicide of Charles I in 1649 and before the restoration of Charles II in 1660. This period is known as the commonwealth period after the English Civil War (1642–1651), when the Puritans sought to establish a godly republic under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell and the force of the New Model Army. Parliament declared the monarchy abolished—there was no king and no House of Lords. The first republican government—the Rump Parliament, a unicameral body—lasted only four years (1649–1653) when Oliver Cromwell established a protectorate (1654–1658) to be succeeded by his son, Richard Cromwell (1658–1659). In 1660, Charles II took the throne and ended the interregnum by restoring the monarchy, House of Lords, and episcopacy to England.

The political theory of the interregnum was English republicanism, a combination of classical republicanism, natural law theory, and ancient constitutionalism. Several political works of English republicanism were published, such as Marchamont Nedham's The Case of the Commonwealth of England Stated (1650), Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan (1651), John Milton's A Defence of the People of England (1651), and James Harrington's Oceana (1656). Freedom of worship was granted to Presbyterians, Independents, Quakers, and Baptists. The Church of England lost ecclesiastical control as the principles of liberty of conscience, universal toleration, and egalitarianism, which had been advocated by the Levellers during civil war radicalism, were implemented by the Puritans, both Presbyterians and Independents. Parliamentary sovereignty as representative constitutionalism, civic and moral virtue among the people, and individual natural rights were core principles of English republicanism.

See alsoConstitutional Monarchy; Monarchy; Parliamentary Government; Republicanism.

JOANNE TETLOW