The English Revolution in the 17th century, the struggle between King Charles I and the parliament. If we compare this revolution with the one that would erupt a century later in France, only the fact of revolution is comparable; otherwise, the struggle primarily focuses on religious grounds between Anglicans, Catholics, Calvinists, and Presbyterians.
Then there are the Nations, again different from the centralizing or Jacobin France. Cromwell is the man of the parliament; in England, there are powers to which the king must submit. It is this rivalry that will lead to the revolution. England, Scotland, and Ireland are three Nations clashing on religious grounds. The fanaticism of some, the intolerance of others, and freedom are the guiding principles of this struggle between the king and his parliament.
Cromwell was born in 1599; he is a member of parliament in the House of Commons. He will take the lead in the revolt against the monarchy’s ambitions. Initially, the focus is not on republicanism but on the distinction between the powers of the king and those of the parliament. What are the prerogatives of each and the royal power?
Bernard Cottret paints a picture of this period, this revolution. As a historian, lawyer, and theologian, he describes the stakes and outcomes, the differences between beliefs that clash and yet kill each other for the same God.
This book is very valuable for a better understanding of English history and sociology, which even today are reflected in the behaviors of the United Kingdom.
Thierry Jan
