Highlights of the English Civil War and Commonwealth Period
Public Events
Charles dismisses Parliament 1629
Charles, with Archbishop Laud, continues enforcing
“High Church” beliefs and practices, leading to
rebellion in Scotland, suppressed in the First
Bishops’ War 1639
C. calls “Short Parliament” 1640 to raise money for
Bishops’ Wars; they insist on presenting grievances
and are dismissed. Second Bishops’ War goes badly
for C.
Later in 1640, C. calls “Long Parliament”
1641: ₽ impeaches & imprisons Laud; passes act
prohibiting dissolution except by its own consent
1642: ₽ excludes bishops from House of Lords,
raises own army, abolishes stage plays; First Civil
War begins August.
Milton’s Life
What He’s Writing
Teaching in his home, at least
five students (continues to
1647)
Anti-prelatical tracts
Marries Mary Powell June,
deserted soon after
Sonnets 8, 10
Sometime in early 1640s,
begins to lose eyesight
1643: Westminster Assembly, beginning of
Toleration controversy
Licensing Act
1645: “New Model Army” (Cromwell second in
Reconciled with Mary summer
command under Fairfax); Presbyterian establishment
Laud tried and executed
1646: Charles takes refuge in Scotland; War ends
and negotiations begin; tension between ₽ and army
Daughter Anne born
1643-45
Divorce tracts, treatise on
education, Latin grammar text
and thesaurus, begins History of
Britain and Brief History of
Muscovia; Areopagitica
Publishes poems
“On the new forcers of
Conscience”
1648: Second Civil War; army “purges” ₽ of more
conservative members
1649: “Rump” Parliament declares the
Commonwealth, abolishes monarchy and House of
Lords, tries and executes Charles, establishes
Council of State.
Form of government is debated throughout the
Commonwealth period.
Daughter Mary born
Sonnet to Fairfax
Fully blind in left eye
Tenure of Kings and Magistrates:
theoretical argument for
lawfulness of ejecting or
executing a king (written before
the regicide, English)
Appointed Secretary for
Foreign Tongues
Eikonoklastes: response to Eikon
Basilike, which presents Charles
as a martyr (both in English)
Begins Defense of the English
People, reply to Salmasius,
Defense of Reign of Charles I
(both in Latin)
1650: Cromwell subdues rebellion in Ireland, Charles
II recognized by Scotland. Under pressure to invade
Scotland, Fairfax resigns and Cromwell takes
command.
Sonnet to Cromwell
1651
1652
Son John born
Blindness complete by 1652
Daughter Deborah born May 2
Wife Mary dies May 5
Son dies June 16
? begins writing On Christian
Doctrine (Latin)
1653: Cromwell made Lord Protector
1654
1655, April: massacre of the Waldensians
Publishes Second Defense of the
English People, response to Cry
of the King’s Blood (reply to the
first Defense; both in Latin)
Public correspondence urging
Protestant aid to survivors of the
massacre, Sonnet 18
1656
1658: Oliver Cromwell dies, son Richard proclaimed
Protector
1659: conservative movement gains strength, new
elections called
Marries Katherine Woodcock
Daughter Katherine born Oct.
1657, dies March 1658
Wife Katherine dies Feb. 1658
Leaves Secretary position
1660:
Charles II proclaimed King May 8, lands at Dover
May 25, enters London May 29
Goes into hiding until the Act
of Oblivion
Of Civil Power (English), argues
for separation of church and
state
The Likeliest Means to Remove
Hirelings (English), argues
against mandatory tithes to
support clergy
The Ready and Easy Way to
Establish a Free Commonwealth
published early March, expanded
edition late April, signed J.M.
August 13 proclamation denounces Milton (among
others) and calls for burning of his books since he
can’t be found
Act of Oblivion August 28 does not name Milton
1660s:
Episcopal governance of church established
Arrested in the fall based on
the August 13 proclamation,
released December.
Marries Elizabeth Minshull
February 1663
Paradise Lost, On Christian
Doctrine