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Richard Cromwell ( October 4, 1626- July 12, 1712) was the third son of Oliver Cromwell, and was Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland, for little over eight months, from September 3, 1658 until May 25, 1659. Richard Cromwell's enemies called him Tumbledown Dick.

Richard was an unlikely successor, coming to prominence only because his two elder brothers both died before their father. Having previously sat in parliament, but only having joined the Council of State a year before his appointment as Protector, he had neither the political experience nor the interest required to maintain his position. He gave it up with little hesitation, resigning or "abdicating" after a demand by the Rump Parliament. This was the beginning of a short period of restoration of the Commonwealth of EnglandThe Commonwealth was the republican government which ruled first England and then the whole of Britain, Ireland, the colonies and other Crown possessions during the periods from 1649 (the monarch Charles I being beheaded on January 30 and "" being passed but led to a state of anarchy that resulted in the return of the exiled King Charles II of EnglandCharles II ( 29 May 1630 6 February 1685) was the King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 30 January 1649 de jure or 29 May 1660 de facto until his death. Charles II's father, Charles I, had been executed in 1649 following the English Civil War; the mo and the English RestorationThe English Restoration or simply Restoration was an episode in the history of Great Britain beginning in 1660, when the monarchy was restored under King Charles II after the English Civil War. Theatres reopened after having been closed during the protect. Unlike his father, Richard was not held accountable for the death of King Charles ICharles I ( 19 November 1600 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625, until his death. He famously engaged in a struggle for power with Parliament; he was an advocate of the divine right of kings, but his foes in Parl. He retired to obscurity, going into exile on the Continent under the soubriquet of "John Clarke", but returning in 1680Events First Portuguese governor was appointed to Macau The Swedish city Karlskrona was founded as the Royal Swedish Navy relocated there. July 8 The first confirmed tornado in America killed a servant at Cambridge, Massachusetts. August 21 Pueblo Indians to live out the remainder of his life in Britain.