Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603–1689. In 1649, Charles I was tried and executed in public, a shocking event that horrified European monarchs. The segment explores the establishment of the Protectorate under Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector. John Lambert drafted the Instrument of Government, England's first written constitution, which included checks and balances and religious protections for Protestants. Although Cromwell refused the crown, his rule relied on military strength and the imposition of Puritan values, such as banning Christmas celebrations. Upon Cromwell's death in 1658, his son Richard failed to maintain control, leading the nation back into political chaos. (6)
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