Convention Parliament (England)

In 1660 the word was seen as pejorative with overtones of irregularity, but after the convening of the 1689 parliament some started to see this as a virtue, "a voice of liberty".

[11] Elected as a "free parliament",[12] i.e. with no oath of allegiance to the Commonwealth or to the monarchy, it was predominantly Royalist in its membership.

Reprisals against the establishment which had developed under Oliver Cromwell were constrained under the terms of the Indemnity and Oblivion Act which became law on 29 August 1660.

Nonetheless there were prosecutions against those accused of regicide, the direct participation in the trial and execution of Charles I.

It set about both systematically dismantling of all the legislation and institutions which had been introduced during the Interregnum, and the confirming of the Acts of the Convention Parliament.

It decided that the King had abdicated by fleeing the capital and throwing the Great Seal of the Realm in the River Thames.