Manx Rebellion of 1651

[1] The Rebellion was mainly in response to agrarian and land ownership reforms enacted by Lord of Mann James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, and the increased burden on the Manx people during the English Civil War.

[3] The Rebellion temporarily ended control of the Isle of Man by the Stanley family until the Restoration when King Charles II returned from exile in Europe.

The ruler of the Isle of Man, James Stanley was in desperate need to improve his financial situation so he could continue to fund his involvement with the Royalists during the English Civil War.

[2][6] Stanley wanted to abolish this system as it gave tenants perpetual ownership and the right to pass their property to their children without consent of the Earl himself.

The Earl was taken prisoner at the Battle of Worcester in September 1651 and in his final letter to his wife in October he instructed his wife to broker his release and for his family's safety by negotiating with the victorious Parliamentarians for the surrender of the island:The governor of this place, Colonel Duckenfield, is general of the forces which are going now against the Isle of Man, and however you might do for the present, in time it would be grievous and troublesome to resist, especially those that at this hour command three nations; wherefore my advice, notwithstanding my great affection to that place is, that you would make conditions for yourself, children, servants, and people there, and such as came over with me, to the end you may go to some place of rest where you may not be concerned in war; and taking thought of your poor children, you may in some sort provide for them[13]The Governor of the Isle of Man, Sir Philip Musgrave, drew up the proposals with the assistance of several members of the House of Keys.

In reality, the Parliamentarians were gathering troops to capture the island and the agreement was a "mere pretence for the sake of gaining time" for Dhone and the Manx militia.

Dhone as Commander of the Militia, summoned the Captains of the Parishes of the Isle of Man to rise up and take control of the strategic coastal forts.

Dhone was eventually punished for his role in the Rebellion and was accused of misappropriating Manx charitable funds during his tenure as Governor and Receiver General.

[17] He was released the next year but returned to the Isle of Man hoping that his involvement in the Rebellion would be pardoned under the Act of Indemnity and Oblivion of 1661 under the King Charles II as part of the Restoration.