The Interregnum 1649-60

• Problems emerged in establishing a new government immediately after Charles was executed. 
• Ireland and Scotland were both still roayalist strongholds and Charles II had already been proclaimed king by February 1649, even though he was then in exile in Holland and would not be crowned until 1651. 
• Initially, Henry Ireton had intended to dissolve parliament and hold new elections. However the regicides needed to act fast and the mood of the country did not appropriate elections. The power had to be passed to the MPs who remained at Westminster. 
• On 4 January 1649, the remaining MPs collectively known as the "Rump" reassembled. 
• The Rump parliament recognised themselves as the sole legislative body in the three realms, and elected a Council of State to govern in their name. 
• In March 1649, England was declared to be a commonwealth, governed by a single chamber parliament. 

• It was clear from the beggining that the "revolution" of 1649 was the work of a minority who needed wider support in order to establish an effective government. 
• The army played an important role in allowing the new regime to find its feet, by supressing opposition groups such as the levellers. In may 1649 at Burford, a mutiniy occured within the army and several leveller leaders were shot. 
• The council of state however turned its attention to social reform which would help them win support. They knew that an end to imprisonment for debt and ending high taxation would win support across a number of social classes. 

While many of the higher…