Cromwell and the British Commonwealth, 1649-1660
Wed 14 May
|Cambridge
Enter Britain’s brief republic: radical reforms, military rule, and Oliver Cromwell’s quest to shape a godly nation.
Time & Location
14 May 2025, 13:00 – 14:30
Cambridge, Meeting Room 3, Queen Anne House, Gonville Pl, Cambridge CB1 1ND, UK
About The Event
After the execution of Charles I, England entered uncharted territory—a nation without a king. In Cromwell and the British Commonwealth (1649–1660): Revolution Without a King, we explore the only period in British history when the monarchy was abolished and a republican government took its place.
Guided by the iron will of Oliver Cromwell, this turbulent decade saw sweeping political experiments, religious reforms, and the rise of military authority. But was it truly a step toward democracy—or a new form of absolutism under another name?
Led by Alex, an accomplished scholar and Fellow of prestigious institutions including Christ’s College Cambridge, the McDonald Institute of Archaeological Research, and the Institute for Oriental and Classical Studies at HSE University Moscow, this session unpacks the paradoxes of England’s short-lived republic.
Join us as we navigate the ambitions, contradictions, and legacies of this revolutionary age—when Britain stood on the edge of becoming something entirely new.