333: The Republic of Britain: Life under Cromwell

In this episode of "The Rest Is History," Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland are joined by Anna Keay, author of "The Restless Republic," to discuss the tumultuous decade following the execution of King Charles I in 1649 and the establishment of the Commonwealth. The conversation explores the radical ideas and social experiments of the time, such as the Diggers led by Gerard Wynne Stanley, and the challenges faced by the new republican regime in dealing with royalists and managing the country. They delve into the complexities of Oliver Cromwell's rule, his policies in Ireland, and the eventual restoration of the monarchy, while also highlighting the lasting impact of the republican experiment on British society and the emergence of key concepts like religious toleration and parliamentary sovereignty.