The Great Restoration

The Great Restoration, also known as the Restoration, refers to the period in England from 1660 to 1688, when the monarchy was reestablished after the English Civil War and the subsequent republican rule of Oliver Cromwell. King Charles II returned from exile to reclaim the throne. This era marked significant changes in politics, culture, and society, leading to greater tolerance for different beliefs and a flourishing of the arts. It also laid the groundwork for the development of the constitutional monarchy, where the king’s powers were limited by law, shaping modern British governance.