Stuart Restoration

Stuart Restoration
John Michael Wright · Public domain · source
Name	Stuart Restoration
Caption	Charles II in coronation robes, by John Michael Wright
Date	1660–1688
Location	England, Scotland, Ireland
Outcome	Restoration of the House of Stuart; later deposition in the Glorious Revolution

Stuart Restoration. The Stuart Restoration was the re-establishment of the House of Stuart on the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland in 1660, following the Interregnum after the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and the execution of Charles I. It began with the return from exile of Charles II, culminating a period of political instability under the Commonwealth of England and the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell. The period lasted until the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which deposed James II and established constitutional limits on the monarchy.

Background and causes

The collapse of the Protectorate following the death of Oliver Cromwell in 1658 created a power vacuum, as his son Richard Cromwell proved unable to control the fractious New Model Army or the Rump Parliament. General George Monck, commander of forces in Scotland, marched his army south from Coldstream in early 1660, compelling the Rump Parliament to dissolve itself. The newly elected Convention Parliament, dominated by Cavaliers and former Roundheads seeking stability, received the Declaration of Breda from Charles II. This document, drafted by advisors including Edward Hyde, promised a general pardon, religious toleration, and settlement of army arrears, paving the way for a peaceful return. The political exhaustion after the Civil Wars and the failure of republican government were primary catalysts for the widespread support of the monarchy's return.

The Restoration settlement

The political settlement was largely defined by the Cavalier Parliament and legislation known as the Clarendon Code. Key acts included the Corporation Act 1661, the Act of Uniformity 1662, the Conventicle Act 1664, and the Five Mile Act 1665, which collectively enforced conformity to the Church of England and restricted the rights of Nonconformists like Presbyterians and Independents. The Indemnity and Oblivion Act 1660 pardoned most past crimes but exempted the regicides of Charles I, several of whom were executed, including Thomas Harrison. The monarchy's financial settlement, however, left Charles II dependent on parliamentary grants, as the old feudal revenues were largely abolished. The restoration of the House of Lords and the Church of England's episcopal structure reversed the major religious and political changes of the Interregnum.

Reign of Charles II

The reign of Charles II, known as the Merry Monarch, was marked by courtly hedonism, major national disasters, and secretive foreign policy. The Great Plague in 1665 and the Great Fire of London in 1666 were profound catastrophes, with the fire's aftermath seeing reconstruction plans by architects like Christopher Wren. In foreign affairs, the Second Anglo-Dutch War and the Third Anglo-Dutch War were fought, while the secret Treaty of Dover (1670) allied England with Louis XIV of France and pledged the king's conversion to Catholicism. Domestically, the Popish Plot fabricated by Titus Oates and the subsequent Exclusion Crisis bitterly divided parliament between the pro-exclusion Whigs, led by the Earl of Shaftesbury, and the Tories who supported the royal succession. Charles II ultimately ruled without parliament from 1681 until his death in 1685, relying on subsidies from France.

Reign of James II and the Glorious Revolution

The accession of the openly Catholic James II in 1685 initially met with little opposition, as seen by the swift suppression of the Monmouth Rebellion led by the Duke of Monmouth and the brutal Bloody Assizes overseen by Judge Jeffreys. However, James's attempts to promote religious tolerance via the Declaration of Indulgence and his placement of Catholics in key positions in the army, universities, and government alienated the Church of England and the political establishment. The birth of a Catholic heir, James Francis Edward Stuart, precipitated the invitation by the Immortal Seven to the Protestant William of Orange. William's landing at Brixham in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 led to James's flight to France. The subsequent Convention Parliament deemed his abdication and offered the throne jointly to William and Mary, conditioned on their acceptance of the Bill of Rights 1689.

Social and cultural impact

The period saw a dramatic shift from the austere Puritan culture of the Interregnum to one of theatricality, scientific inquiry, and restored aristocratic patronage. Theatres, closed under Commonwealth rule, reopened, with playwrights like John Dryden and Aphra Behn flourishing. The founding of the Royal Society in 1660, under the patronage of Charles II and with members like Robert Hooke and Isaac Newton, institutionalized scientific advancement. The Restoration comedy genre, exemplified by works like The Country Wife, reflected the era's moral laxity. In architecture, the style transitioned from Jacobean to English Baroque, with landmarks like St Paul's Cathedral rebuilt by Christopher Wren. Fashion became more elaborate, and the period also saw the rise of the first professional female actors on the English stage.

Legacy and historical assessment

The Stuart Restoration fundamentally shaped the British constitution by demonstrating the impossibility of absolute monarchical rule without parliamentary consent, a principle cemented by the Glorious Revolution and the Bill of Rights 1689. It established a lasting political framework that balanced crown and parliament, influencing later developments like the Act of Settlement 1701 and the Acts of Union 1707. The religious settlements entrenched the Church of England's dominance while creating a permanent Nonconformist tradition. Historians debate whether it was a "restoration" of old ideals or the foundation of a modern, bureaucratic state; figures like Samuel Pepys, whose diary provides a crucial record, exemplify the emerging professional administrator. The era's tensions between crown and parliament, and between Anglican and dissenter, directly set the stage for the more stable political order of the Georgian era.

Category:17th century in England Category:House of Stuart Category: (England