Civil War part II

Between 1646 and 1650, the remnants of the royalists forces were mopped up. Much of parliament still recognised the King and believed that negotiation was the way forward, but Charles I was not to be trusted, he escaped in 1647 and took refuge on the Isle of Wight. He would go on to make deals with the Scots and other royalists, but his poorly organised uprisings were swiftly crushed during what many refer to as the second civil war in 1648, this ended with the Scots defeat at Preston on the 17th August 1648. Cromwell dominated proceedings in a ruling Parliament, referred to as the Rump Parliament. In January 1649, Charles I was found guilty of treason by a high court of justice appointed by parliament. The country committed regicide on the 30th of January 1649. This was an unusual time for Great Britain, it was without a royal leader for the first time since its inception. The commonwealth was created under the ruling Rump Parliament and an executive council of state (without the House of Lords).