Convention Parliament

The Convention Parliament also known as the English Convention was elected in April 1660. It was elected after the Rump of the Long Parliament had finally voted for its own dissolution. It was predominantly Royalist in its constitution. It assembled for the first time on the April 25, 1660.

The Convention, after the Declaration of Breda had been received on the 8th of May, declared that King Charles II had been the lawful monarch since the death of Charles I in January 1649. The Convention Parliament then proceeded to conduct the necessary preparation for the Restoration Settlement. These preparations included the necessary provisions to deal with land and funding such that the new regime could operate.

Reprisals against the establishment which had developed under Oliver Cromwell were constrained under the terms of the Indemnity and Oblivion Act which became law on the 29th of August 1660. Nonetheless there were prosecutions against those accused of Regicide, the direct participation in the trial and execution of Charles I.

The Convention Parliament was dissolved by Charles II on the 29th December 1660. The succeeding parliament, which was elected in May 1661 was called the Cavalier Parliament and it set about the systematic dismantling of all the legislation and institutions which had been introduced during the reign of Cromwell's 'Commonwealth and Protectorate'