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Part of a series of civil wars between Parliamentarians ('Roundheads') and Royalists ('Cavaliers')

Mainly regarding the problem of governing the Kingdom of England, Ireland, and Scotland under one system.

Ended with English Parliamentarian army emerging victorious.

This led to:
- the execution of King Charles I and exile of his son, Charles I;
- the overall abolition of the monarchy;
- and the establishment of Commonwealth of England.

The latter existed from 1653 until 1660, when Charles II returned from exile.

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Constitution is drafted an instated.
Oliver Cromwell is appointed Lord Protector, and effectively made himself a dictator.

Very mixed feeling by the people.

Oliver Cromwell dies and is succeeded by his son, Richard Cromwell, in 1658.

Richard is unable to lead, leading to rapid collapse of the country.

General George Monck marches down to London, and recalls the Rump Parliament together with the Long Parliament in 1659.

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Marked by the return of Charles II, from his exile in France, in 1660.

Monarchy reinstated and Charles II takes the throne.

Charles II led quite a libertine lifestyle, having many mistresses and fathering at least a dozen heirs - though none legitimate.

He was a patron of the Royal Society

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Major epidemic of the Bubonic Plague.
Lasted from 1665 into 1666.
An estimated 100'000 people were killed in the span of eighteen months.
It killed almost a quarter of the London population at the time.

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From Sunday, 2 September to Thursday, 6 September, 1666.
Large parts of Medieval London destroyed.
It destroyed St. Paul's Cathedral, which would later be rebuild.

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The Raid on the Medway happened during the Second Anglo-Dutch War, in June of 1667.

The Dutch led a successful attack on an anchorage that housed English warships. The Dutch penetrated English defences and claiming victory, they towed away the English fleet's flagship, the HMS Royal Charles.

Politically disastrous for Charles II's war plans, a peace treaty was reached which was favourable for the Dutch.

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Charles II lacked a legitimate heir, which concerned Parliament.

Parliament wanted Charles to exclude his brother from succession.
Charles dissolved Parliament instead, deciding to continue to rule by himself.
He is able to do this, because he secured an alliance with France and this paid for his endeavours.

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Enter James II (of England and Ireland) and VII (of Scotland).

He inherited the throne from his elder brother Charles II, and he ruled more akin to an absolute monarch.

With his accession, a fear of popery and Catholic monarchs like Louis XIV, King of France, arose, but it wouldn't reach its peak until later.

James II actively champions the right for Catholics to hold public office and serve as officers in the military. He also surrounded himself with Catholic advisors.

His son James Edward Stuart is born (1688) and becomes heir to the throne.

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Plot to assassinate Charles and James and spark a republican revolution.
Aim was to re-establish a government of the Cromwellian style.

Known as the Rye House Plot, it backfired and caused large-scale sympathy for both King Charles and James.

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William III of Orange-Nassau, stadtholder of the Holland

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1688
The Glorious Revolution ends the Restoration Era:
William III of Orange-Nassau, stadtholder of Holland, overthrew King James II of England
He was aided in his endeavours by a collection of English Parliamentarians.

James II flees to France, as most of his armies defect to William's army.

William III was the first to have a joint monarchy, together Mary II. Mary II is James' elder, Protestant sister.

William's nickname becomes 'King Billy'.

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An 18th-century engraving, based on a drawing by Samuel Wale, of the Bill of Rights being presented to William III and Mary II.

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The Bill of Rights, signed by William III and Mary II in 1689, was an act in the recently created constitution of England. The new monarch duo are forced to sign the bill, as part of their invitation to become joint sovereigns of England.

Its signing gave the Parliamentarians the sole power over taxation and warfare, and it excluded Catholics from ascending to the English throne.

This was done to limit the power of the monarch, and to make sure that Parliament was able to better function without meddling from any sovereign of the nation.

It included things like freedom of speech within parliament, free elections, and the ability to have regular parliaments and parliamentary meetings.

It also included adaptations to the penal code, making cruel and unusual punishment forbidden, whilst condemning several acts of James II of England.

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‘King Billy’ defeats the Jacobites, a Catholic army raised by James II, in Ireland. The Battle of the Boyne happened on 11 July, 1690.

This battle would remain very influential in particular areas within the UK and Ireland, even to this day.