<P> Although Maryland was an early pioneer of religious toleration in the British colonies, religious strife among Anglicans, Puritans, Roman Catholics, and Quakers was common in the early years, and Puritan rebels briefly seized control of the province . In 1644 the dispute with William Claiborne led to armed conflict . Claiborne seized Kent Island while his associate, the pro-Parliament Puritan Richard Ingle, took over St. Mary's . Both used religion as a tool to gain popular support . From 1644 to 1646, the so - called "Plundering Time" was a period of civil unrest aggravated by the tensions of the English Civil War (1641--1651). Leonard Calvert returned from exile with troops, recaptured St. Mary's City, and eventually restored order . </P> <P> In 1649 Maryland passed the Maryland Toleration Act, also known as the Act Concerning Religion, a law mandating religious tolerance for trinitarian Christians . Passed on 21 September 1649 by the assembly of the Maryland Colony, it was the first law requiring religious tolerance in the English North American colonies . In 1654, after the Third English Civil War (1649--1651), Parliamentary (Puritan) forces assumed control of Maryland for a time . </P> <P> When dissidents pressed for an established church, Caecilius Calvert's noted that Maryland settlers were "Presbyterians, Independents, Anabaptists, and Quakers, those of the Church of England as well as the Romish being the fewest...it would be a most difficult task to draw such persons to consent unto a Law which shall compel them to maintaine ministers of a contrary perswasion to themselves ." </P> <P> In 1689, Maryland Puritans, by now a substantial majority in the colony, revolted against the proprietary government, in part because of the apparent preferment of Catholics like Colonel Henry Darnall to official positions of power . Led by Colonel John Coode, an army of 700 Puritans defeated a proprietarial army led by Colonel Darnall . Darnall later wrote: "Wee being in this condition and no hope left of quieting the people thus enraged, to prevent effusion of blood, capitulated and surrendered ." The victorious Coode and his Puritans set up a new government that outlawed Catholicism, and Darnall was deprived of all his official roles . Coode's government was, however, unpopular; and William III installed a Crown - appointed governor in 1692 . This was Lionel Copley who governed Maryland until his death in 1694 and was replaced by Francis Nicholson . </P>

What was the type of government in colonial maryland