Charles II of England was a "de facto" republic, led by Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell defeated Charles II at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651, and Charles fled to mainland Europe. Cromwell became virtual dictator of England, Scotland and Ireland. Charles spent the next nine years in exile in France, the Dutch Republic and the Spanish Netherlands. A political crisis that followed the death of Cromwell in 1658 resulted in the restoration of the monarchy, and Charles was invited to return to Britain. On 29 May 1660, his 30th birthday, he was received in London to public acclaim. After 1660, all legal documents
Duration of English, British and United Kingdom Parliaments from 1660 Duration of English, British and United Kingdom Parliaments from 1660 This is a list of the Parliaments of the United Kingdom, of Great Britain and of England from 1660 to the present day, with the duration of each Parliament. The NP number is the number counting forward from the creation of the United Kingdom in 1801 and Great Britain in 1707. Prior to that the parliaments are counted from the Restoration in 1660. The duration column is calculated from the date of the first meeting of the Parliament, to that of dissolution. Notes Notes Notes Key to abbreviations in the