Editing Lord Protector (section)

==Cromwellian Commonwealth==
{{Infobox official post
| post = Lord Protector
| body = England, Scotland and Ireland
| insignia = Coat of Arms of the Protectorate (1653–1659).svg
| insigniasize = 120px
| insigniacaption = '''[[Coat of arms of England|Coat of arms]]'''
| image = RichardCromwell.png
| imagesize = 120px
| imagecaption = '''Last holder:'''<br>[[Richard Cromwell]]<br>(3 September 1658 – 25 May 1659)
| style = [[Highness|His Highness]]
| residence = [[Palace of Whitehall]]
| appointer = [[Order of succession|Elective]]
| appointer_qualified = 
| precursor = 
| formation = 16 December 1653
| first = [[Oliver Cromwell]]
| last = [[Richard Cromwell]]
| abolished = 25 May 1659
| succession = 
| salary = 
}}
The '''Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland''' was the title of the [[head of state]] and [[head of government]] during the [[Commonwealth of England|Commonwealth]]<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Instrument of Government |volume=14 |pages=655–656 |first=Arthur William |last=Holland}}</ref> (often called the [[Interregnum (England)|Interregnum]]), following the first period when a [[English Council of State|Council of State]] held executive power. The title was held by [[Oliver Cromwell]]<ref name=EB1911/><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Cromwell Museum - Lord Protector {{!}} Cromwell |url=https://www.cromwellmuseum.org/cromwell/cromwell-the-man/lord-protector |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=www.cromwellmuseum.org |language=en-GB}}</ref> (December 1653 – September 1658) and subsequently his son and designated successor [[Richard Cromwell]] (September 1658 – May 1659) during what is now known as [[The Protectorate]].

The 1653 [[Instrument of Government]] (republican constitution) stated:
{{quote|Oliver Cromwell, [[Captain general#Commander-in-Chief of the Forces|Captain-General of the forces]] of England, Scotland and Ireland, shall be, and is hereby declared to be, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, and the dominions thereto belonging, for his life.}}
The replacement constitution of 1657, the [[Humble Petition and Advice]],<ref name=EB1911/> gave "His Highness the Lord Protector" the power to nominate his successor. Cromwell chose his eldest surviving son, the politically inexperienced Richard. That was a nonrepresentative and de facto dynastic mode of succession, with royal connotations in both styles awarded (even a double invocation 16 December 1653 – 3 September 1658 "[[By the Grace of God]] and Republic Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland") and many other monarchic prerogatives, such as that of awarding knighthoods.

Richard Cromwell, who succeeded after his father's death in September 1658, held the position for only eight months before he resigned in May 1659. He was followed by the second period of Commonwealth rule until the [[English Restoration|Restoration]] of the exiled heir to the Stuart throne, [[Charles II of England|Charles II]], in May 1660.

===Lords Protector (1653–1659)===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Lord Protector
! Lifespan
! Term began
! Term ended
|-
| [[File:Oliver Cromwell by Samuel Cooper.jpg|80px]]<br/>'''[[Oliver Cromwell]]'''<br/>''{{Small|Old Ironsides}}''
| {{Birth date|df=yes|1599|4|25}} –<br/>{{Death date and age|df=yes|1658|9|3|1599|4|25}}
| 16 December 1653
| 3 September 1658 {{Small|(Died)}}
|-
| [[File:RichardCromwell.png|80px]]<br/>'''[[Richard Cromwell]]'''<br/>''{{Small|Tumbledown Dick}}''
| {{Birth date|df=yes|1626|10|4}} –<br/>{{Death date and age|df=yes|1712|7|12|1626|10|4}}
| 3 September 1658
| 25 May 1659 {{Small|(Resigned)}}
|}