The English bourgeois revolution, the reasons for which were formed under Elizabeth 1, history divides into four stages. The first was the constitutional stage. A civil war followed. Then the struggle for democratic content and another civil war began. The English bourgeois revolution of the 17th century ended with the formation of the Independent Republic.
As already mentioned, between the parliament and the crown, the struggle started under Elizabeth 1. During the reign of Charles 1, this confrontation led to the dissolution of the parliament. After this, the English bourgeois revolution began, also referred to in history as the "Great Rebellion."
As an ideological weapon, the opposition was a large-scale religious and political public association - Puritanism. The Puritan movement was distinguished by a variety of views and complexity in the socio-political structure. This led to the fact that within the association at the beginning of the confrontation formed three main currents.
The former included Presbyterians. This trend included the land aristocracy and the bourgeoisie. They demanded the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.
The second course was made by the independents. Among them were representatives of the small and middle nobility, the middle layers of the urban bourgeoisie. They advocated a limited constitutional monarchy with the proclamation and recognition of the inalienable freedoms of all subjects.
Levellers stood out from the Independent movement, supported by peasants and artisans. Levellers defended the idea of nationwide equality, sovereignty, fought for the establishment of the republic.
The English bourgeois revolution developed very rapidly. The defeat of the country in 1639 in the Anglo-Scottish War also contributed to this acceleration.
The situation was quite tense. Urban and peasant uprisings, discontent among merchants and financiers, lack of money put the monarch in a hopeless situation. As a result, Charles 1 convened a new parliament, which was called Long. From that moment on, the English bourgeois revolution passed on to the second, constitutional stage.
The long parliament in the course of its work adopted the Three-Year Act (establishing the convocation of the parliament every three years, regardless of the royal will), a bill stating that the parliament cannot be dissolved without his consent. The Great Reconstruction was adopted, which reflected the interests of the new nobility and the bourgeoisie.
Thus, the adopted acts significantly limited the power of the crown, while contributing to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. The Presbyterians, who held the dominant position in parliament, feared the development of the revolution.
The king in 1642, at the end of the summer, declared war on parliament. The English bourgeois revolution grew into the first civil war. Due to the indecisiveness of the Prositerian policies, the parliament was defeated. The military leadership was taken over by the independents.
However, by the summer of 1645, the parliamentary army was reorganized. The Civil War (first) ended with the defeat of the royal troops. The Presbyterian Parliament considered the revolution completed, he was satisfied with the formed position and political system in the country on the principle of a constitutional monarchy.
However, two other movements (Levellers and Independents) strove for more decisive transformations. In 1648, a second civil war broke out between the Independents and the Presbyterian Parliament. As a result of the struggle, the first occupied London, excluding the Presbyterian majority from the Long Parliament.
After the royal execution in 1649, England became a republic. From that moment on, the supreme power was in the hands of a unicameral parliament.
The leaders of the independents, led by Cromwell, established a military dictatorship. The leaders who supported them were thrown into prison.
The dictatorial regime fell after the death of Cromwell. In 1659, a republic was formally established in the country. As a result of the coup in 1688-89, a compromise was established between the land aristocracy and the bourgeoisie.