Commonwealth Republic

Definition

The Commonwealth Republic refers to the period from 1649 to 1660 in England when it was ruled as a republic following the end of the English Civil War and the execution of Charles I.

Analogy

Imagine if your school decided to do away with all student council positions and instead let every student have an equal say in decisions. That's similar to what happened during the Commonwealth Republic - there was no king, and power theoretically rested with the people (though in practice, it was largely controlled by Cromwell).

Related terms

Interregnum: This term refers to a period when normal government is suspended, especially between successive reigns or regimes. The Commonwealth Republic occurred during an interregnum.

Restoration: This refers to the return of Charles II as king in 1660 after the period of republican rule under Oliver Cromwell. It marked the end of the Commonwealth Republic.

Rump Parliament: This was what remained of Parliament after Pride's Purge in December 1648, which removed those members not supporting military intervention against King Charles I. The Rump Parliament declared England a commonwealth republic.