Could the British Puritans Have Won?

Hey guys! Some of you may know may for some... rather ridiculous ASB threads a ways back. Regardless, I haven't posted in awhile, but I wanted to call on the historical knowledge of the forum for a question.

Judging by a recent podcast I listened to, I frequently got the sense that, in parts of the 17th century, the United Kingdom was on the edge of being taken over by Puritan religious fanatics, and turned into some sort of anti-catholic theocracy. Now, to my knowledge, they never got their wish, even with the English Civil War/Revolution/what have you, and a big reason they went to North America was so they could essentially live out their religion as they pleased.

So, I ask this. Could the Puritans have taken over England, and the rest of the UK, to the point of getting everything they wanted, in regards to how the Church of England was structured, and related political changes? Or, was that impossible because of who was likely to be monarch? And, if they did succeed, what would've happened to the country, and the rest of the world? Would it have become a terrifying theocracy that brutally murdered anyone who didn't appear loyal to the true faith? Or, judging by political beliefs of certain puritans, could it have become something completely different than any government we had previously seen?
 
Hey guys! Some of you may know may for some... rather ridiculous ASB threads a ways back. Regardless, I haven't posted in awhile, but I wanted to call on the historical knowledge of the forum for a question.

Judging by a recent podcast I listened to, I frequently got the sense that, in parts of the 17th century, the United Kingdom was on the edge of being taken over by Puritan religious fanatics, and turned into some sort of anti-catholic theocracy. Now, to my knowledge, they never got their wish, even with the English Civil War/Revolution/what have you, and a big reason they went to North America was so they could essentially live out their religion as they pleased.

So, I ask this. Could the Puritans have taken over England, and the rest of the UK, to the point of getting everything they wanted, in regards to how the Church of England was structured, and related political changes? Or, was that impossible because of who was likely to be monarch? And, if they did succeed, what would've happened to the country, and the rest of the world? Would it have become a terrifying theocracy that brutally murdered anyone who didn't appear loyal to the true faith? Or, judging by political beliefs of certain puritans, could it have become something completely different than any government we had previously seen?

They did, then banned Christmas and lost. Kept the catholic banning after 1689 though.

See also Putney debates.
 
Did any of that really stick with Charles the II, and afterwards though?

As the people who had killed his Father Charles II was fairly thorough in sidelining and surpressing them and thanks to the high taxes and unpopular social policies of the Protectorate most of the country back him.
 
As the people who had killed his Father Charles II was fairly thorough in sidelining and surpressing them and thanks to the high taxes and unpopular social policies of the Protectorate most of the country back him.

Hence, why the OP is there. I don't think the Puritans got a total victory, as it were, in the British Isles. Which is what the OP is about, whether that is possible, and what the impact would be.
 
Hey guys! Some of you may know may for some... rather ridiculous ASB threads a ways back. Regardless, I haven't posted in awhile, but I wanted to call on the historical knowledge of the forum for a question.

Judging by a recent podcast I listened to, I frequently got the sense that, in parts of the 17th century, the United Kingdom was on the edge of being taken over by Puritan religious fanatics, and turned into some sort of anti-catholic theocracy. Now, to my knowledge, they never got their wish, even with the English Civil War/Revolution/what have you, and a big reason they went to North America was so they could essentially live out their religion as they pleased.

So, I ask this. Could the Puritans have taken over England, and the rest of the UK, to the point of getting everything they wanted, in regards to how the Church of England was structured, and related political changes? Or, was that impossible because of who was likely to be monarch? And, if they did succeed, what would've happened to the country, and the rest of the world? Would it have become a terrifying theocracy that brutally murdered anyone who didn't appear loyal to the true faith? Or, judging by political beliefs of certain puritans, could it have become something completely different than any government we had previously seen?

They did in Cromwell and the Commonwealth. Obviously the easiest answer is to have his state continue past his death, presumably with his son taking over and going on from there.
 
Did they though?

I mean, yes, Cromwell was very religious, however, he seemed to believe religious freedom was necessary in a way that say, the Fifth Monarchists* didn't.

*I bring up the Fifth Monarchists because they are partially what inspired this, however, I must admit that I'm perhaps basing way too much on what was, in the scheme of things, a fringe religious cult, albeit a somewhat popular one from what I understand.
 
Hence the Putney debate line, which is about the rejection by the Puritan army command of an even more Puritan faction on the grounds of rule of law and parliamentary democracy.
 
They did in Cromwell and the Commonwealth. Obviously the easiest answer is to have his state continue past his death, presumably with his son taking over and going on from there.

His son did take over. What you need is someone who has a sufficiently forceful personality to be able to unite the Commonwealth. Richard Cromwell wasn't that person.
 
They did in Cromwell and the Commonwealth. Obviously the easiest answer is to have his state continue past his death, presumably with his son taking over and going on from there.
His son richard did take over after his death, but if his other son Henry would take over instead, then things would be a lot better.
he was such a appreciated administrator that after his brother was disposed, he pretty much got away unmolested, and also was held in high esteem by Charles II
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Cromwell
 
Catholics were not officially barred from the throne of England/Scotland/Ireland until the Act of Settlement in 1701.
 
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