What Happened Next?

For Worcester, life went on. It later earned the title "The Faithful City" for its services to the Royalist cause. It was the case however, that your average 17th century citizen wasn't really concerned about which side would win, more that they wished it would be over because the civil war was very costly for Worcester. The first stand cost them their Mayor in 1642 and the Cathedral was ransacked, this time the fighting was in the very heart of the city.

For Charles II, he escaped and legend has it, he hid in an oak tree to evade capture. With his faithful Lord Wilmott and a £1000 reward on his head, he managed to escape back to France. Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protectorate and England was ruled without a royal family for 8 years until Cromwell's death in 1658. Cromwell's son, Richard took power, but the protectorate collapsed in 1659.

Richard Cromwell

Charles II returned to the throne in 1660 and the period know as the Restoration began. The protestant church was appointed church of state, but the return of the Stuarts was to be short lived. The people suspected catholic tendencies in the royal family. Parliament didn't wish Charles II successor James, Duke of York (later James II). He to become King, however, he came the throne however in 1685. James II's overt catholic ways were met with displeasure from parliament and the people. James fled for France in 1688, after some MP's had invited William and Mary of Orange (protestant royalty from Holland) to bring an army to England. James II's fleeing of the country was treated as an abdication. Catholic's were forbidden from the throne according to the Declaration of Rights and the Bill Of Rights (1689). The bill also redefined the relationship between royal heads of state and Parliament. From this point onwards power was very much more in parliaments favour.