On 30 January 1649, King Charles I was executed for treason. Within weeks the monarchy had been abolished and the House of Lords discarded. The people were now the sovereign force in the land. What this meant, and where it would lead, no one knew.

In her new book, The Restless Republic: Britain Without a Crown, Anna Keay brings to life a fascinating cast of characters who lived through the turbulent years under Oliver Cromwell. In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Anna Keay about the most extraordinary and experimental decade in Britain’s history, when a conservative people tried revolution.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg. 

For more Not Just The Tudors content, subscribe to our Tudor Tuesday newsletter here >

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android > or Apple store >