19 May 1649: The English republic is proclaimed

On this day in 1649, the Commonwealth of England, the eleven-year republic, was officially proclaimed by an act of the Rump Parliament.

King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria
(Image credit: The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)

Compared to the long-winded bills that pass through Parliament these days, “An act declaring England to be a commonwealth”, dated 19 May 1649, was a masterclass in brevity. But it was also one of England's most important acts.

In just 106 words, it brought the centuries-old monarchy and the House of Lords to an end (although this was more a case of dotting the i's, seeing as the king's head was already off his shoulders).

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Chris Carter
Wealth Editor, MoneyWeek

Chris Carter spent three glorious years reading English literature on the beautiful Welsh coast at Aberystwyth University. Graduating in 2005, he left for the University of York to specialise in Renaissance literature for his MA, before returning to his native Twickenham, in southwest London. He joined a Richmond-based recruitment company, where he worked with several clients, including the Queen’s bank, Coutts, as well as the super luxury, Dorchester-owned Coworth Park country house hotel, near Ascot in Berkshire.

Then, in 2011, Chris joined MoneyWeek. Initially working as part of the website production team, Chris soon rose to the lofty heights of wealth editor, overseeing MoneyWeek’s Spending It lifestyle section. Chris travels the globe in pursuit of his work, soaking up the local culture and sampling the very finest in cuisine, hotels and resorts for the magazine’s discerning readership. He also enjoys writing his fortnightly page on collectables, delving into the fascinating world of auctions and art, classic cars, coins, watches, wine and whisky investing.

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