The Protectorate

The period from 1653 to 1658 when Oliver Cromwell ruled Britain with the title of Lord Protector, and from 1658 to 1659 when his son Richard (1626-1712) ruled with the same title. During this time they claimed greater powers, often ruling alone without a parliament. In 1659 the Long Parlia­ment was established again, which voted for the re­turn of King Charles II.

Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) an English general and pol­itician who for a short time ruled England, Scot­land and Ireland. Crom­well was a Puritan who began his political career as the Member of Parlia­ment for Huntingdon in 1628. When the English Civil War started in 1642, he gathered soldiers in his area to fight for Parliament and soon became the leader of the New Model Army and the greatest soldier in England. He was one of those who signed the death warrant of King Charles I in 1649. As a leader of the Common­wealth, he was responsible for the very cruel treat­ment of those who were opposed to the Puritans in Ireland and Scotland. In 1653 Cromwell dismissed parliament and became the Lord Protector of Eng­land, Scotland and Ireland, with almost the same power as a king. He was even offered the crown, but refused it. In 1658, he died of malaria and was buried in Westminster Abbey. Cromwell's son Richard took his place as Lord Protector for a short time after his death, but he did not have his father's gifts as a lead­er, and in 1660 Charles II became king at the Restoration. Oliver Cromwell's body was dug up and his head was put on a pole on the roof of one of the buildings in Westminster for 24 years.

Cromwell is also remembered for a famous remark he made to the artist Peter Lely (1618-80). He said, 'Mr Lely, I desire you would use all your skill to paint my picture truly like me, and not flatter me at all; but remark (= take notice of) all these rough­nesses, pimples, warts, and everything as you see me, otherwise I will never pay a farthing for it.' People often say that something or somebody should be shown warts and all, meaning that faults or un­pleasant features should not be left out.

Puritan

A member of an English Protestant group of the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritans believed in simple forms of church ceremony and strict moral behaviour, and were associated with the Parliamentary party during the Commonwealth of Oliver Cromwell. Because of this they were treated badly after the Restoration of King Charles II, and many left Britain to settle in the US, where their simple way of life and religious discipline became an im­portant influence on American culture.

TheRestoration

The return of the British mon­archy in 1660, when Charles II became king after the rule of Oliver Cromwell. The Restoration re­fers to this event and the period after it, which is known for its lively developments in the arts, par­ticularly in the theatre.

Charles II (1630-85) king of England, Scotland and Ireland (1660-85). He was the son of Charles I. He spent most of the English Civil War living abroad until Parliament invited him to return to be king after the death of Oliver Cromwell. He enjoyed the pleasures of life and was well known for having affairs with many women, including Nell Gwyn.

James II (1633-1701) the king of England and Scotland (1685-1688). He was the son of Charles I and the younger brother of Charles II, becoming king after Charles II died. He faced a lot of opposition because he was a Roman Catholic, and in 1688 he was replaced by the Protest­ant William III. James went to Ireland in 1689 to try to win back power, but was defeated at the Battle of the Boyne. He lived the rest of his life in France.

William III (also Wil­liam of Orange) (1650-1702) the king of Great Britain and Ireland (1688–1702). He was a Dutch prince, married to Mary, the daughter of James II. They were invited by British Protestants to be the king and queen of Britain in order to prevent the Roman Catholic James II from being king. William became king in the Bloodless Revolution and defeated the forces of James II in Ire­land at the Battle of the Boyne. He is remembered by a group of Protestants in Northern Ireland who are opposed to Ireland becoming one republic, and call themselves Orangemen.

The Bloodless Revolution/The Glorious Revolution

The events in Britain in 1688 when the Roman Catholic James II was re­moved as king and replaced by his daughter Mary and her husband William III (William of Orange).

So many of James's Protestant officers join William's side that there was no fighting, and James escaped to France with his family. These events art also called the Glorious Revolution because constitutional monarchy was introduced at the same time.

Queen Anne (1665-1714) the queen of Britain (1702-14). She was the daughter of King James II and the last of the House of Stuart. None of her 18 chil­dren lived beyond the age of 11, so when she died her cousin George from Hanover in Germany became King George I. Queen Anne was the last British ruler to be able to prevent parliament from passing a law by using her power to veto (= reject) it.

The Act of Settlement (in Britain)

An Act of Par­liament in 1701, saying that the children of James I's granddaughter Sophia would be the future kings and queens. The government made this law because the king at that time, William III, had no children, and they wanted to stop the Catholic Stuarts from becoming kings and queens. Sophia was a Protestant. She was married to the Elector (= a type of prince) of Hanover. Their son became King George I, the first king of the House of Hanover.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-30