The Restoration of Charles II in 1660 owed much to the delicate balance of military authority, political calculation, and social exhaustion. The role of General George Monck, commander of the army in Scotland, alongside the position of the Convention Parliament, was central in orchestrating the peaceful return of monarchy after the collapse of the Protectorate.

George Monck (1608–1670), the soldier-statesman whose controlled use of the army in early 1660 made a peaceful Restoration possible. This 1661 David Loggan engraving shows Monck in armour, underscoring his military authority. Source

General George Monck: Background and Position

General George Monck was a professional soldier who had served both the Crown and Parliament during the English Civil Wars. By 1660, he commanded the army in Scotland and was seen as a figure of stability in a time of chaos. His reputation for discipline and pragmatism meant that both politicians and soldiers considered him a potential broker of national settlement.

Monck was initially cautious, balancing the competing demands of the republican factions in London, the disaffected army, and the widespread popular longing for stability. His political skill lay in presenting himself not as a partisan of monarchy or republicanism, but as the guardian of order.

The Army and its Fragmentation

By the late 1650s, the army, once the foundation of Cromwellian authority, was fractured and unreliable. Soldiers were divided between:

• Republicans, who wanted to maintain the Commonwealth without a monarch.

• Radical factions, such as republicans and religious sectarians, who feared the return of monarchy would undo their gains.

• Moderates, including many officers, who were weary of instability and leaned toward restoring traditional structures.

The army’s lack of unity allowed Monck to act as a decisive arbiter. Importantly, Monck kept his Scottish army relatively insulated from London’s political turmoil, ensuring he had a coherent and disciplined force at his disposal. This independence gave him leverage over both republican leaders and Parliament.

March to London

In January 1660, Monck marched his army south from Scotland. This was both a military and symbolic action:

• It demonstrated that Monck possessed the force necessary to overawe his rivals.

• It suggested to the nation that he could restore peace and order.

• It pressured the fractious regime in London to seek compromise.

While on his march, Monck carefully avoided declaring his allegiance, allowing different groups to hope he would support their cause. This ambiguity was a calculated strategy to maintain maximum political flexibility.

The Role of the Convention Parliament

Once Monck arrived in London, the focus shifted to the Convention Parliament, which assembled in April 1660. Unlike earlier parliaments during the Interregnum, it was not summoned by royal writ, hence its title “Convention.” It reflected a broad political consensus, as elections returned a body largely sympathetic to a restoration.

Parliamentarians recognised that the country desired stability after years of upheaval. The Convention Parliament debated settlement terms, including guarantees of property rights and religious toleration. Crucially, it invited Charles II back under conditions that seemed to promise a balance between monarchy and Parliament.

Sir Harbottle Grimston was elected Speaker of the House of Commons in the Convention Parliament, signalling Presbyterian support for a conditional, peaceful Restoration.

Sir Harbottle Grimston (engraving after Sir Peter Lely), a leading Presbyterian elected Speaker of the Convention Parliament in April 1660. The British Museum catalogues this impression (1793) as “Sr Harbottle Grimston Bart”. Note: the inscription “Master of the Rolls” reflects Grimston’s later office (extra detail beyond this subsubtopic). Source

Monck and the Return of Monarchy

Monck’s role was pivotal in allowing the Convention Parliament to act without fear of military reprisal. His assurances to Parliament that the army would not interfere enabled members to proceed toward restoration with confidence.

Key contributions by Monck included:

• Restoring excluded MPs from earlier purges, broadening the parliamentary base.

• Neutralising radical army factions, preventing potential coups.

• Backing parliamentary authority, even when army officers resisted.

By supporting parliamentary initiative rather than imposing military dictatorship, Monck aligned himself with the growing national mood. His influence ensured that the Restoration appeared as a consensual settlement rather than a conquest.

Negotiations and the Settlement of 1660

The Convention Parliament extended an invitation to Charles II, whose Declaration of Breda offered conciliatory promises of pardon, liberty of conscience, and respect for property. Monck endorsed this solution, presenting it as the surest path to peace.

The combined authority of Monck and Parliament persuaded the nation that monarchy could return without descending into renewed civil war. Soldiers who might have resisted were reassured by Monck’s leadership, while civilians trusted Parliament’s ability to frame the settlement.

Significance of Monck and the Convention Parliament

The Restoration was not simply imposed by Charles II; it was the product of careful negotiation between military authority and parliamentary initiative.

• Without Monck, the army’s divisions might have erupted into violence.

• Without the Convention Parliament, the constitutional legitimacy of the settlement would have been weaker.

• Together, Monck and Parliament ensured that the monarchy was restored as a national act of reconciliation, not merely a military coup.

Monck’s political pragmatism and the Convention Parliament’s willingness to act decisively represented the culmination of England’s search for stability after two decades of conflict. The Restoration was thus shaped by the careful interplay of army power, parliamentary authority, and the strategic restraint of General Monck.