The Swordsmen in Power: War and Politics Under the English Republic 1649-1660

From its birth at the execution of Charles I in 1649 to its extinction with the restoration of Charles II in 1660, this is a narrative history of the English Republic. The first half of the book is devoted to the Commonwealth's formation and its struggles against its enemies, both domestic and foreign. The second half covers the rule of the Protector, his court, internal and external policies, and the unnecessary war with Spain, and finally the decline and death of Cromwell, the fall of his successor, Richard Cromwell, and the political confusion which is resolved by General Monck and his Scottish regiments during the winter of 1659-60.