Barebones Parliament

The Barebones Parliament, which is also known as the Nominated Assembly of Saints and the Little Parliament, came into being on July 4 1653. The Speaker of the House was the Rev. Francis Rous. It was an assembly entirely nominated by Oliver Cromwell and his council of army officers. It acquired its name from the nominee for the City of London, Praise-God Barebones. The total number of nominees was 140, 129 from England, five from Scotland and six from Ireland.

Related Topics:
July 4 - 1653 - Speaker of the House - Francis Rous - Oliver Cromwell - City of London - Praise-God Barebone - England - Scotland - Ireland

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The intention of the army leaders was to have an assembly more congenial to themselves than the Rump Parliament had been, but in the six months in which the Nominated Assembly sat, the growing strength of the Fifth monarchy men became ever more apparent. Fearing their ultra-radical ideas, which crystallised in an attack on tithes, the conservative faction led by Major-General John Lambert, supported by the use of troops to deny access to the radical factions, engineered a vote for the dissolution of the assembly, which was passed on December 12, 1653. The collapse of the radical consensus which had spawned the Nominated Assembly led to the Grandees passing the Instrument of Government in the Council of State which paved the way for Cromwell's Protectorate.

Related Topics:
Rump Parliament - Fifth monarchy men - Tithes - John Lambert - December 12 - Grandee - Instrument of Government - Council of State - Protectorate

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The Barebones Parliament was preceded by the Rump Parliament and succeeded by the First Protectorate Parliament.

Related Topics:
Rump Parliament - First Protectorate Parliament

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