The Fall - Last Days of the English Republic

Why did England's one experiment in republican rule fail?Oliver Cromwell's death in 1658 sparked a period of unrivalled turmoil and confusion in English history. In less than two years, there were close to ten changes of government; rival armies of Englishmen faced each other across the Scottish border; and the Long Parliament was finally dissolved after two decades. Why was this period so turbulent, and why did the republic, backed by a formidable standing army, come crashing down in such spectacular fashion?In this fascinating history, Henry Reece explores the full story of the English republic's downfall. Questioning the accepted version of events, Reece argues that the restoration of the monarchy was far from inevitable-and that the republican regime could have survived long term. Richard Cromwell's Protectorate had deep roots in the political nation, the Rump Parliament mobilised its supporters impressively, and the country showed little interest in returning to the old order until the republic had collapsed. This is a compelling account that transforms our understanding of England's short-lived period of republican rule.

Product details

• Authors: Henry Reece, Reece Henry
• Publisher: Yale University Press Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 25.06.2024
• EAN: 9780300211498
• ISBN: 978-0-300-21149-8
• No. of pages: 464
• Dimensions: 166 mm x 245 mm x 40 mm
• Subjects: Education and learning > Teaching preparation > Vocational needs; Humanities, art, music > History > Modern era up to 1918; European History, HISTORY / Modern / 17th Century, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / Stuart Era (1603-1714), British & Irish history, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Revolutions, uprisings, rebellions, Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700, C 1600 To C 1700, National liberation & independence, post-colonialism, 1660 to 1714 (Restoration and the Later Stuart period), 1603–1649 (Jacobean and Early Stuart period), National liberation and independence, Later 17th century c 1650 to c 1699, HISTORY / Revolutions, Uprisings & Rebellions