ABSTRACT
To give a comprehensible account of the rebellion of 1685 and the treachery of the Duke of Monmouth, it is necessary to look at the contending political philosophies of the sixteenth century. Europe was far from united either in its political or its religious beliefs, but in general there was a trend towards the build-up of strong, nation-states led by autocratic, 'divinely-inspired' monarchs. After the successful rebellion, O. Cromwell the leader of the Parliamentarians against the Royalists, who became 'Protector of England', turned out to be as much of an autocrat as his predecessor. The increasing unpopularity of Cromwell's military government led eventually to a restoration of the monarchy. Richard Newton informed Monmouth that the Royal Army was camped in open country only three miles from Bridgwater in a very vulnerable position. The ambiguity surrounding the whole idea of treason can be illustrated in many ways; it is implicit in so many of the case studies.
