Oliver Cromwell’s death in 1658 sparked a period of unrivalled turmoil and confusion in English history. In less than two years, there were close to ten changes of government; rival armies of Englishmen faced each other across the Scottish border; and the Long Parliament was finally dissolved after two decades. 

Why was this period so turbulent, and why did the republic, backed by a formidable standing army, come crashing down in such spectacular fashion? Dr Henry Reece addresses some of these questions in his Virtual Branch talk.