England: Presidents of the Council of State: 1649-1653 - Archontology
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England: Presidents of the Council of State: 1649-1653
Council of State appointed for the one-year term by an act of Parliament passed on 17/27 Feb 1649
President of the Council of State [1][2]
12/22 Mar 1649 - 15/25 Feb 1650 John Bradshaw
appointed: 10/20 Mar 1649; assumed presidency: 12/22 Mar 1649; end of term: 15/25 Feb 1650 (last meeting of the Council)
Council of State appointed for the term ending on 17/27 Feb 1651 by an act of Parliament passed on 13/23 Feb 1650
President of the Council of State [2]
18/28 Feb 1650 - 15/25 Feb 1651 John Bradshaw 
appointed and assumed presidency: 18/28 Feb 1650; end of term: 15/25 Feb 1651 (last meeting of the Council)
Council of State appointed for the term ending on 1/11 Dec 1651 by an act of Parliament passed on 13/23 Feb 1651
President of the Council of State [2]
17/27 Feb 1651 - 29 Nov/9 Dec 1651 John Bradshaw 
appointed and assumed presidency: 17/27 Feb 1651; end of term: 29 Nov/9 Dec 1651 (last meeting of the Council)
Council of State appointed for the term 30 Nov/10 Dec 1651-1/11 Dec 1652 by an act of Parliament passed on 28 Nov/8 Dec 1651
President of the Council of State [2]
1/11 Dec 1651 - 29 Dec 1651/8 Jan 1652 John Bradshaw 
appointed and assumed presidency: 1/11 Dec 1651; end of term: 29 Dec 1651/8 Jan 1652 (successor assumed presidency)
29 Dec 1651/8 Jan 1652 - 26 Jan/5 Feb 1652 Bulstrode Whitelocke
appointed and assumed presidency: 29 Dec 1651/8 Jan 1652; end of term: 26 Jan/5 Feb 1652 (successor assumed presidency)
26 Jan/5 Feb 1652 - 23 Feb/4 Mar 1652 Sir Arthur Hesilrig (Hesilrige, Haselrig)
appointed and assumed presidency: 26 Jan/5 Feb 1652; end of term: 23 Feb/4 Mar 1652 (successor assumed presidency)
23 Feb/4 Mar 1652 - 23 Mar/2 Apr 1652 Philip Sidney Viscount Lisle
appointed and assumed presidency: 23 Feb/4 Mar 1652; end of term: 23 Mar/2 Apr 1652 (successor assumed presidency)
23 Mar/2 Apr 1652 - 19/29 Apr 1652 John Lisle
appointed: 22 Mar/1 Apr 1652; assumed presidency: 23 Mar/2 Apr 1652; end of term: 19/29 Apr 1652 (successor assumed presidency)
19/29 Apr 1652 - 17/27 May 1652 Henry Rolle
appointed and assumed presidency: 19/29 Apr 1652; end of term: 17/27 May 1652 (successor assumed presidency)
17/27 May 1652 - 14/24 Jun 1652 Sir Henry Vane (the Younger) [3]
appointed and assumed presidency: 17/27 May 1652; end of term: 14/24 Jun 1652 (successor assumed presidency)
14/24 Jun 1652 - 12/22 Jul 1652 Philip Herbert Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, Baron Herbert of Shurland
appointed and assumed presidency: 14/24 Jun 1652; end of term: 12/22 Jul 1652 (successor assumed presidency)
12/22 Jul 1652 - 9/29 Aug 1652 Dennis Bond
appointed and assumed presidency: 12/22 Jul 1652; end of term: 9/29 Aug 1652 (successor assumed presidency)
9/29 Aug 1652 - 6/16 Sep 1652 William Purefoy [4]
appointed and assumed presidency: 9/29 Aug 1652; end of term: 6/16 Sep 1652 (successor is appointed)
7/17 Sep 1652 - 5/15 Oct 1652 Sir James Harrington
appointed and assumed presidency: 7/17 Sep 1652; end of term: 5/15 Oct 1652 (successor assumed presidency)
5/15 Oct 1652 - 25 Oct/4 Nov 1652 Sir William Constable [5]
appointed and assumed presidency: 5/15 Oct 1652; end of term: 25 Oct/4 Nov 1652 (successor assumed presidency)
25 Oct/4 Nov 1652 - 22 Nov/2 Dec 1652 Sir William Masham [5]
appointed and assumed presidency: 25 Oct/4 Nov 1652; end of term: 22 Nov/2 Dec 1652 (successor assumed presidency)
22 Nov/2 Dec 1652 - 30 Nov/10 Dec 1652 Sir William Constable 
appointed and assumed presidency: 22 Nov/2 Dec 1652; end of term: 30 Nov/10 Dec 1652 (last meeting of the Council)
Council of State appointed for the term 30 Nov/10 Dec 1652-1/11 Dec 1653 by an act of Parliament passed on 30 Nov/10 Dec 1652
1/11 Dec 1652 - 29 Dec 1652/8 Jan 1653 Bulstrode Whitelock  
assumed presidency: 1/11 Dec 1652; end of term: 29 Dec 1652/8 Jan 1653 (successor assumed presidency)
29 Dec 1652/8 Jan 1653 - 26 Jan/5 Feb 1653 Henry Rolle 
appointed and assumed presidency: 29 Dec 1652/8 Jan 1653; end of term: 26 Jan/5 Feb 1653 (successor assumed presidency)
26 Jan/5 Feb 1653 - 23 Feb/5 Mar 1653 John Bradshaw 
appointed and assumed presidency: 26 Jan/5 Feb 1653; end of term: 23 Feb/5 Mar 1653 (successor assumed presidency)
23 Feb/5 Mar 1653 - 23 Mar/2 Apr 1653 William Cecil Earl of Salisbury
appointed and assumed presidency: 23 Feb/5 Mar 1653; end of term: 23 Mar/2 Apr 1653 (successor assumed presidency)
23 Mar/2 Apr 1653 - 20/30 Apr 1653 Dennis Bond
appointed and assumed presidency: 23 Mar/2 Apr 1653; end of term: 20/30 Apr 1653 (coup) [6]
  1. The Order Books of the Council of State do not contain any information on presiding officers between 17/27 Feb 1649 and 10/20 Mar 1649. The member listed first on the list of attendees is presumed to have been the presiding officer: Oliver Cromwell (17/27 Feb 1649, 22 Feb/4 Mar 1649, 23 Feb/5 Mar 1649, 2/12 Mar 1649, 9/19 Mar 1649), Basil Feilding Earl of Denbigh (19 Feb/1 Mar 1649, 26 Feb/8 Mar 1649, 27 Feb/9 Mar 1649,3/13 Mar 1649, 5/15 Mar 1649, 6/16 Mar 1649, 8/18 Mar 1649), Thomas Grey Lord Grey of Groby (20 Feb/2 Mar 1649, 21 Feb/3 Mar 1649), Philip Herbert Earl of Pembroke (24 Feb/6 Mar 1649, 1/11 Mar 1649 afternoon), Sir William Armine, Baronet (26 Feb/8 Mar 1649, afternoon), Thomas Fairfax (27 Feb/9 Mar 1649, afternoon, 6/16 Mar 1649 afternoon, 7/17 Mar 1649, 10/20 Mar 1649), Sir Henry Vane (28 Feb/10 Mar 1649), Sir Arthur Hesilrig (1/11 Mar 1649), Henry Martin (Marten) (3/13 Mar 1649 afternoon), William Cecil Earl of Salisbury (10/20 Mar 1649 afternoon).
  2. Also routinely styled in the proceedings of the Council as Lord President.
  3. Also in Massachusetts.
  4. The term of Purefoy was deemed to have expired on 6/16 Sep 1652 and Oliver St. John was elected to succeed him, but declined to serve. Sir James Harrington was elected on 7/17 Sep 1652 and assumed the presidency.
  5. Masham was appointed President of the Council to serve during the illness of Constable (25 Oct/4 Nov 1652). When the one-month term of Constable expired in early November 1652, Masham continued to chair the meetings. On 22 Nov/2 Dec 1652 Constable was again appointed President to serve the remainder of the term of the Council.
  6. The last meeting of the Council entered into the Order Books is that of 15/25 Apr 1653. The proceedings of the Council between 16/26 Apr 1653 and 20/30 Apr 1653 are not included, but the Council did sit on 19/29 Apr 1653, as proved by several orders passed on that day, of which the originals exist.
Last update: 18 Mar 2024
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