<P> After seven months the Grandees in the New Model Army removed him and, on 6 May 1659, they reinstalled the Rump Parliament . Charles Fleetwood was appointed a member of the Committee of Safety and of the Council of State, and one of the seven commissioners for the army . On 9 June he was nominated lord - general (commander - in - chief) of the army . However, his power was undermined in parliament, which chose to disregard the army's authority in a similar fashion to the pre--Civil War parliament . On 12 October 1659 the Commons cashiered General John Lambert and other officers, and installed Fleetwood as chief of a military council under the authority of the Speaker . The next day Lambert ordered that the doors of the House be shut and the members kept out . On 26 October a "Committee of Safety" was appointed, of which Fleetwood and Lambert were members . Lambert was appointed major - general of all the forces in England and Scotland, Fleetwood being general . Lambert was now sent, by the Committee of Safety, with a large force to meet George Monck, who was in command of the English forces in Scotland, and either negotiate with him or force him to come to terms . </P> <P> It was into this atmosphere that General George Monck marched south with his army from Scotland . Lambert's army began to desert him, and he returned to London almost alone . On 21 February 1660, Monck reinstated the Presbyterian members of the Long Parliament' secluded' by Pride, so that they could prepare legislation for a new parliament . Fleetwood was deprived of his command and ordered to appear before parliament to answer for his conduct . On 3 March Lambert was sent to the Tower, from which he escaped a month later . Lambert tried to rekindle the civil war in favour of the Commonwealth by issuing a proclamation calling on all supporters of the "Good Old Cause" to rally on the battlefield of Edgehill . But he was recaptured by Colonel Richard Ingoldsby, a regicide who hoped to win a pardon by handing Lambert over to the new regime . The Long Parliament dissolved itself on 16 March . </P> <P> On 4 April 1660, in response to a secret message sent by Monck, Charles II issued the Declaration of Breda, which made known the conditions of his acceptance of the crown of England . Monck organised the Convention Parliament, which met for the first time on 25 April . On 8 May it proclaimed that King Charles II had been the lawful monarch since the execution of Charles I in January 1649 . Charles returned from exile on 23 May . He entered London on 29 May, his birthday . To celebrate "his Majesty's Return to his Parliament" 29 May was made a public holiday, popularly known as Oak Apple Day . He was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 23 April 1661 . </P> <Ul> <Li> <P> A flag used by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Navy and privateers beginning on 22 February 1649 . </P> </Li> <Li> <P> A flag of the Commonwealth flown by the Admiral, Vice-Admiral, and Rear - Admiral . On 5 March 1649 the Council ordered "that the Flagg that is to be borne by the Admiral, Vice-Admiral, and Rere - Admiral be that now presented, viz., the Armes of England (Red St. George Cross on white) and Ireland (gold harp on blue) in two severall Escotcheons in a Red Flagg, within a compartment ." </P> </Li> <Li> <P> Standard of the Lord Protector from 1655 to 1659 . </P> </Li> <Li> <P> A flag used by the Commonwealth after 1658 . </P> </Li> </Ul>

Who was crowned king after a period of commonwealth rule in england