Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, had…
May 1660 CE
Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, had been succeeded on his death by his son Richard, who, although not entirely without ability, had no power base in either Parliament or the Army, and had been forced to resign in May 1659, bringing the Protectorate—the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland—to an end.
As there is no clear leadership from the various factions that have jostled for power during the reinstated Commonwealth, George Monck, the English governor of Scotland, at the head of New Model Army regiments is able to march on London in February 1660 and force the Rump Parliament to readmit members of the Long Parliament excluded in December 1648 during Pride's Purge.
The Long Parliament dissolves itself and for the first time in almost twenty years, there is a general election.
The outgoing Parliament designs the electoral qualifications so as to ensure, as they think, the return of a Presbyterian majority.
The restrictions against royalist candidates and voters are widely ignored, and the elections result in a House of Commons which is fairly evenly divided on political grounds between Royalists and Parliamentarians and on religious grounds between Anglicans and Presbyterians.
The new so-called Convention Parliament had assembled on April 25, 1660, and soon afterwards received news of the Declaration of Breda, in which Charles agrees, among other things, to pardon many of his father's enemies.
Under Monck's watchful eye, the necessary constitutional adjustments are made so that Charles Stewart, the eldest son of the beheaded Charles I, can be invited back from exile to be king under a restored monarchy.
The English Parliament resolves to proclaim Charles king and invite him to return.
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