Course:History 344 Nasty Families/Religion/Fifth Monarchists

Fifth Monarchists

The Fifth Monarchists were a prominent religious group between 1649-1661. Their main goal was to reform the government and parliament for the inevitable return of Jesus Christ to his Kingdom on earth. They were a radical religious movement that used social and political pressure to accomplish their goals. After their conversion of England, the new English Fifth Monarchist army of saints would march on Europe, and would eventually convert the whole world with the spirit of Jesus Christ. They were literal readers of the Old Testament and received their name “the Fifth Monarchy” or “the Five Kingdoms” from the books of Daniel and Revelations. They believed that there were 5 kingdoms on earth and 4 of them had already occurred, the fifth would usher in a new world order and Jesus would return to his Kingdom on earth if there was no monarch sitting on the throne. The fifth monarchists represented a broad spectrum of interests and were usually divided into two groups; one group saw the conversion of a corrupt English society into a new religious community of the saints was only possible through the power of prayer, and by setting an example for others to follow. Another group might argue for change through political action and through the force of arms. Members of both of these groups tended to hold moderate views in its early days. The civil war was seen as a metaphor of things to come and they heavily favoured the execution of Charles I as they believed it was a sign from God of the new Kingdom on earth coming into form. When Oliver Cromwell dissolved the Rump Parliament in April 1653, Fifth Monarchists hailed him as a second Moses, leading God's chosen people to the Promised Land. However once Cromwell was given the title of Protectorate all of the Fifth Monarchists dreams were dashed and they quickly turned on Cromwell in hopes of seeing him removed from his position. The leader at the time, Thomas Venner, led a desperate Fifth Monarchy uprising in London in January 1661, which resulted in a street battle with soldiers and about 40 deaths. Venner and his followers were rounded up and hanged. The fifth monarchists would continue in England and Wales up until the 18th century when the religious sect finally began to dissolve.