Christopher Durston is Reader in History at St Mary's College, Twickenham

"'A splendid book. It illuminates the whole of the 1650s and Cromwell's complex relationship with the people and culture of the time. A tremendous achievement.' Professor John Morrill, Cambridge University"

• AcknowledgementsAbbreviations1. Introduction: Background and historiography2. The system: Origins and construction3. The men: Backgrounds, careers and beliefs4. The helpers: The commissioners for securing the peace of the Commonwealth5. Old local government and new local government6. The decimation tax7. Securing the peace of the Commonwealth8. The struggle for the Godly Nation9. The major-generals and the 1656 election10. Defeat at Westminster and fall from power11. ConclusionPostscript: The major-generals' later careersBibliography:IndexMaps and tablesMap 1: The major-generals' associationsTable 1: The major-generals' associations Table 2: Numbers of parliamentary seats and exclusions in the major-generals' associations

Christopher Durston is Reader in History at St Mary's College, Twickenham

"'A splendid book. It illuminates the whole of the 1650s and Cromwell's complex relationship with the people and culture of the time. A tremendous achievement.' Professor John Morrill, Cambridge University"

• AcknowledgementsAbbreviations1. Introduction: Background and historiography2. The system: Origins and construction3. The men: Backgrounds, careers and beliefs4. The helpers: The commissioners for securing the peace of the Commonwealth5. Old local government and new local government6. The decimation tax7. Securing the peace of the Commonwealth8. The struggle for the Godly Nation9. The major-generals and the 1656 election10. Defeat at Westminster and fall from power11. ConclusionPostscript: The major-generals' later careersBibliography:IndexMaps and tablesMap 1: The major-generals' associationsTable 1: The major-generals' associations Table 2: Numbers of parliamentary seats and exclusions in the major-generals' associations

Christopher Durston is Reader in History at St Mary's College, Twickenham

"'A splendid book. It illuminates the whole of the 1650s and Cromwell's complex relationship with the people and culture of the time. A tremendous achievement.' Professor John Morrill, Cambridge University"

• AcknowledgementsAbbreviations1. Introduction: Background and historiography2. The system: Origins and construction3. The men: Backgrounds, careers and beliefs4. The helpers: The commissioners for securing the peace of the Commonwealth5. Old local government and new local government6. The decimation tax7. Securing the peace of the Commonwealth8. The struggle for the Godly Nation9. The major-generals and the 1656 election10. Defeat at Westminster and fall from power11. ConclusionPostscript: The major-generals' later careersBibliography:IndexMaps and tablesMap 1: The major-generals' associationsTable 1: The major-generals' associations Table 2: Numbers of parliamentary seats and exclusions in the major-generals' associations