The Protectorate

The Protectorate, officially the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, was the English form of government lasting from 16 December 1653 to 25 May 1659, under which the kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, with their associated territories were joined together in the Commonwealth of England, governed by a Lord Protector. It began when Barebone's Parliament was dissolved, and the Instrument of Government appointed Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth. Cromwell died in September 1658 and was succeeded by his son Richard Cromwell.

This article is about the state that existed from 1653 to 1659. For the time period in British history from 1649 to 1653 and 1659 to 1660, see Commonwealth of England.
For an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity, see Protectorate.

Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland
1653–1659
Motto: Pax quaeritur bello
("Peace is obtained through war")
The territory of the Commonwealth in 1659
StatusRepublic
CapitalLondon
Common languagesEnglish (official)
Scots, Irish, Welsh, Cornish, Scottish Gaelic
Religion
Protestantism
GovernmentUnitary parliamentary republic under a hereditary military dictatorship
Lord Protector 
• 1653–1658
Oliver Cromwell
• 1658–1659
Richard Cromwell
LegislatureParliament
• Upper house
Other House
(1658–59)
• Lower house
House of Commons
(1654–55/1656–58/1659)
History 
16 December 1653
25 May 1657
• R. Cromwell's resignation
25 May 1659
CurrencyPound sterling
Preceded by		Succeeded by
Commonwealth of England
Kingdom of Scotland
Commonwealth of England
Today part ofRepublic of Ireland
United Kingdom

Richard resigned in May 1659 due to his inability to control either the Army or Parliament. He was replaced by the English Committee of Safety, which dissolved the Third Protectorate Parliament, and reseated the so-called Rump Parliament dismissed by Cromwell in April 1653. This marked the end of the Protectorate, with the Rump acting as the legislature and the English Council of State as the executive.

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