May 7

Richard Cromwell forced by the Council of Officers to reinstate the Purged Parliament.

May 24

Resignation of Richard Cromwell after Parliament refuses to recognise the Protectorate.

Jun 7

Parliament commissions Charles Fleetwood commander-in-chief of the armies in England and Scotland but retains the power to appoint or promote officers.

Jul 3

Viscount Mordaunt arrives in England to co-ordinate a general Royalist insurrection.

Aug 5-19

Booth's Uprising: Royalist revolt in Cheshire, suppressed by Colonel John Lambert.

Sep

Officers of Lambert's army meet at Derby and draw up a petition setting out their demands for the government of the nation.

Sep 22-3

Parliament forbids any further petitioning by soldiers. Sir Arthur Haselrig calls for Lambert's arrest.

Oct 12

Parliament revokes the commissions of Lambert and eight other senior officers.

Oct 13

Lambert's troops occupy Westminster and prevent Parliament from sitting.

Oct 15

The Council of Officers appoints a ten-member Committee of Safety to consider how to carry on the government.

Oct 20

General George Monck sends a declaration from Scotland demanding the return of Parliament.

Oct 25

The Council of State dissolved; the Committee of Safety re-appointed by Army leaders.

Nov 3

Lambert marches north from London with 12,000 troops to block Monck's route into England.

Nov 12

Monck's representatives arrive in London for talks with the Council of Officers.

Nov 24

Former members of the Council of State appoint Monck commander of all military units in England and Scotland and empower him to take military action against the enemies of Parliament if necessary.

Dec 3

Sir Arthur Haselrig secures Portsmouth for Parliament.

Dec 5

Riots in London for the return of Parliament.

Dec 8

Monck crosses the border and establishes his headquarters at Coldstream.

Dec 14

Vice-Admiral John Lawson sails for the Thames, threatening to blockade London in support of Parliament.

Dec 26

Fleetwood forced to recall the Purged Parliament.

Jan 1

General Monck marches from Coldstream for London.

Jan 9

Sir Henry Vane expelled from Parliament for having sided with the military junta.

Jan 11

Lord Fairfax meets Monck at York and urges him to restore the Monarchy.

Feb 3

Monck's army arrives in London.

Feb 9

Parliament orders Monck to remove the City gates and portcullises after citizens of London demand the reinstatement of Presbyterian MPs purged in 1648.

Feb 11

Monck demands the re-admission of the purged MPs and apologises for his actions in removing the City gates.

Feb 21

The Long Parliament restored: surviving MPs purged in 1648 re-admitted to Parliament under Monck's protection.

Mar 5

John Lambert imprisoned in the Tower of London.

Mar 16

The Long Parliament calls free elections and votes for its own dissolution.

Apr 10

Lambert escapes from the Tower and tries to rally resistance to the Restoration.

Apr 22

Lambert and his followers defeated at Daventry; Lambert returned to London as a prisoner.

Apr 25

The Convention Parliament assembles.

May 1

Charles II's manifesto the Declaration of Breda read in Parliament.

May 8

The Convention Parliament declares Charles II to have been King since 30th January 1649.

May 14

Parliament orders the arrest of all surviving regicides.

May 25

Charles II lands at Dover.

May 29

Charles II makes a triumphal entry into London.