Religion
and politics were inseparable in 17th-century Europe. Religious
conscience dictated one's actions and compromise with the established
church's conceptions was regarded as heresy. Although steadfast
faith could bolster confidence in one's thoughts and actions,
it could also lead to dangerous narrow-mindedness in policy.
In
September 1648, the Kirk Party, a fanatical branch of the Covenanters,
seized power. A party known as the Independents took power on
December 6, 1648.
Better
known as the "Puritans," the Independents wanted to
purify the Church of England and confer religious toleration on
all Protestants. On January 1, 1649, the Independents declared
England to be a commonwealth, or republic, and established a Council
of State as the premier ruling body of the country. Between 1642
and 1648, 
Charles
fought the English Parliament, which raised an army against him,
but ultimately lost, was captured and put on trial. The Council
brought Charles to trial on January 20, accused him of crimes
against his people, and within 10 days found him guilty and had
him executed.
On
February 5, the Scots, furious that the English had committed
an act of regicide against one of their own, declared Charles'
son, Charles II, king. Since the Kirk Party's influence at that
time was far from secure, its members championed Charles II in
hopes that he would adhere to the National Covenant, be converted
to Presbyterianism and submit to their control. That would secure
the Kirk's sway over Scotland. The Kirk's ultimate goal was the
conversion of England to Presbyterianism.
For
18 months, Charles II negotiated the conditions for his return
while exiled in France. He finally accepted the Covenanters' terms,
signing an agreement at Breda on May 1 and reaffirming it by oath
just before his ship arrived in Scotland on June 23, 1650. The
20-year-old Charles publicly tolerated the Kirk Party's control
because he needed its members' support. But once he regained the
English throne, he planned to repudiate his agreements with them
on the grounds that they had been made under duress.
This
unstable situation constituted a basic problem for Anglo-Scottish
relations. Presumably, Scotland was free to crown Charles, just
as England had the right to become a republic. Leaders on both
sides of the border, however, had divined Charles' true intentions.
Coincidentally, the English Council of State met on the same day
Charles landed in Scotland. The Council cited Charles as the enemy,
not the Kirk Party or the Scottish people, and decided to strike
at Charles in an attempt to eliminate him and establish a pro-English
government in Scotland.
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