In 1660 Charles II lands in Dover to retake the English Throne ending the Republic of England.

On the 22^nd of August 1642 Civil War broke out in England with predominantly the North and West supporting the King (“Cavaliers”) while the South and East including London supported Parliament (the “Roundheads”) led by Oliver Cromwell. By the middle of 1643 the Royalists were gaining ground and it looked like the Parliamentarians’ would loose. But the Parliamentarians’ made a military alliance with Scotland who sent troops to deafeat Royalists in the north and a year later Cromwell’s “New Model Army” defeated the Cavaliers at Naseby, Northamptonshire on the 14^th of June 1645.  

Charles I headed for Scotland and handed himself in, hoping for better treatment than he would receive in England but the Scottish handed him over to the English Parliament.

King Charles was tried for treason and found guilty on the 30^th of January 1649. He was beheaded on the 6^th of February 1649. On the same day, Scotland, Ireland and many royalists in England proclaimed Charles’s son, Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. This proclamation was condemned as illegal by the English Parliament who declared the end of the monarchy making England a Republic for the first time in its history. Oliver Cromwell became army commander and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, crushing any resistance including the massacres of Wexford in October 1649 where he killed 2,000 soldiers and 1,500 civilians.

In 1651 Charles II, who was exiled on the death of his father, had been gathering support and an army in Scotland. On the 3^rd of September 1651 Charles’s forces met with Cromwell’s army in battle.

Cromwell’s forces were triumphant and Charles fled for France. Cromwell proclaimed himself Lord High Protector of England in 1653 and began to establish Puritanism in England. He allied himself with France against Spain and at the Battle of Dunes on the 14^th of June 1658 he defeated the Spanish forces.

On the 3^rd of September 1658 Oliver Cromwell died and his son Richard became Lord High Protector of England.

On the 25^th of May 1660 Charles II returns to England by invitation and takes his place as King of England, Scotland and Ireland. The republic of England is over after 11 years in what is known as “The English Restoration”. He has all involved in his father’s death tried for regicide (Except the executioner who wore a mask keeping their identity secret).