The English Civil Wars (1642 - 1651)

English Civil Wars  (1642 - 1651) 

Three wars that resulted in a Parliamentary victory over Charles I (1600 - 1649) and Charles II.  The issues of the war included Parliament's desire to curb the Royal Prerogatives, exasperated by the 11 year period between 1629 and 1640 when Charles I refused to call Parliament to session, taxation issues, and Charles I's marriage to a Catholic Bourbon princess.  

The first (1642 - 1646) and second (1648 - 1649) wars were fought between the Parliamentarians (the Roundheads) and the Royalists (the Cavaliers).  The second war ended with the execution of Charles I.  The third (1649 - 1651) was fought between defenders of the rump parliament and the supporters of the exiled Charles II.   The Royalists were soundly defeated.  

Parliament took power in 1649 and Charles I was beheaded.  England was reconfigured as the Commonwealth of England until 1653, and then under Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector from 1654 - 1658.  

When Cromwell died in 1658, the protectorate passed to his son Richard who proved an inept leader.  The monarchy was restored with Charles II as monarch in 1660 after Cromwell's death.