Richard Cromwell

Richard Cromwell was the third son of Oliver Cromwell. He served in the Parliamentary Army and was admitted as a member of Lincoln's Inn in 1647. He was appointed a member of the Council of State on 31 Dec 1657 and represented Hampshire and then Cambridge University in the Parliaments summoned by his father. The second Commonwealth constitution, Humble Petition and Advice (1657), provided the Lord Protector with the right to choose his successor. Upon his death, the Privy Council held a meeting (3 Sep 1658) and resolved nemine contradicente that in his lifetime Oliver designated Richard as his successor.

The government of Richard Cromwell faced a serious financial crisis. The third Protectorate Parliament summoned by the Lord Protector to improve the revenue met on 27 Jan 1659. However, the Parliament split between the factions proved useless in resolving the crisis and irritated the army officers by forbidding the Army Council to meet. Under the pressure from Charles Fleetwood and John Desborough, Richard dissolved the Parliament on 22 Apr 1659. On 6 May 1659 the officers carried out a coup and recalled the Rump Parliament, which had been dissolved in April 1653. It convened on 7 May 1659 and issued a declaration establishing "commonwealth without a king, single person, or house of lords," thus effectively terminating Richard's protectorship. The Committee of Safety appointed by the House was instructed "to take into consideration the present condition of the eldest son of the late Lord Generall Cromwell" (16 May 1659). The written statements from Richard were presented to the House by the Committee of Safety on 25 May 1659 ("And, as to the late Providences that have fallen out amongst us, however, in respect of the particular Engagements that lay upon me, I could not be active in making a Change in the Government of these Nations, yet through the Goodness of God, I can freely acquiesce in it, being made;") The Parliament indicated its acceptance of this submission, usually cited and dated as Richard's "resignation of the protectorship," by agreeing to "put in Oblivion, all Matters past in reference to the said Richard Cromwell; and to take upon them his just Debts..." After his deposition, Richard Cromwell lived in Europe until he was allowed to return to England in 1680. [4; 5]