Today in 1649 Parliament passed an act which made England legally a Commonwealth and Free-State without a monarch, but the constitutional settlement would not endure
Really interesting piece, so thanks for writing Eliot. I always find it interesting how regal our attempt at a republic actually was.
Cromwell's title "by the Grace of God of the Republic of England, Scotland and Ireland etc. Protector" and, as I understand, he was still referred to as "His Highness".
Yes, I’ve never been sure if that was because he found he quite liked pomp and ceremony when it applied to him, or whether he thought England needed to take baby steps towards republicanism. He would, of course, have endorsed the idea of God’s grace. It’s interesting how many people, even within the Commonwealth, still frame authority and governance in an essentially monarchical setting; but then, even where you do have republics elsewhere in Europe, like the Netherlands, Venice and Genoa, they tend to have a regal feel to them.
That trend is almost exacerbated in communist systems too. Sinologists refer to the CCP as being the latest dynasty to rule the Middle Kingdom. And that's not even to consider that North Korea has an hereditary system of government.
Right up my street!!
Really interesting piece, so thanks for writing Eliot. I always find it interesting how regal our attempt at a republic actually was.
Cromwell's title "by the Grace of God of the Republic of England, Scotland and Ireland etc. Protector" and, as I understand, he was still referred to as "His Highness".
Yes, I’ve never been sure if that was because he found he quite liked pomp and ceremony when it applied to him, or whether he thought England needed to take baby steps towards republicanism. He would, of course, have endorsed the idea of God’s grace. It’s interesting how many people, even within the Commonwealth, still frame authority and governance in an essentially monarchical setting; but then, even where you do have republics elsewhere in Europe, like the Netherlands, Venice and Genoa, they tend to have a regal feel to them.
That trend is almost exacerbated in communist systems too. Sinologists refer to the CCP as being the latest dynasty to rule the Middle Kingdom. And that's not even to consider that North Korea has an hereditary system of government.
What Hitch called a “necrocracy”.