Examines the nature of the first regime ever to have effective control of the British Isles and the impact that it had on England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and on Britain's international reputation. One of the few stuides to view the period as one of acheivement rather than merely a reactionary regime. Examines the aspirations of the Cromwellian Protectorate and underlines their committemnt to a radical vision, despite the pressures and crises that the regime faced. Examines the international dimension of the rules of Oliver and Richard Cromwell. Containing many key documents of the period and a bibliographical essay, considers A and AS level requirements as well as being valuable to undergraduates and general readers.