Sealed Knot facts for kids
The Sealed Knot was a secret group of people who supported the King. They planned to bring the King back to power during a time when England didn't have a king, known as the English Interregnum. King Charles II, who was living in another country, asked them to form this group between November 1653 and February 1654. Their job was to organize secret activities in England. They also prepared for a big rebellion against the government at the time, called the Protectorate.
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Who Was in The Sealed Knot?
The first people to join The Sealed Knot were:
- John Belasyse, 1st Baron Belasyse (1614–1689)
- Sir William Compton (1625–1663)
- Henry Hastings, 1st Baron Loughborough (1610–1666)
- Col. John Russell (1620–1687)
- Col. Sir Edward Villiers (1620–1689)
- Sir Richard Willis (1613/14–1690)
Other members who joined later included:
- Susan Hyde (around 1607 – 1656)
- Elizabeth Maitland, Lady Tollemache
- William Maynard, 2nd Baron Maynard
Attempts to Bring Back the King
The Sealed Knot tried ten times between 1652 and 1659 to bring the King back to power. The two biggest attempts were in 1655 and 1659.
The Penruddock Uprising (1655)
This uprising was named after one of its leaders, John Penruddock. Soldiers loyal to Oliver Cromwell, who was leading England as the Lord Protector, quickly stopped the revolt. John Penruddock was executed in May 1655 for his part in the uprising.
This plan didn't work well. One reason was that the group was very careful. Another big reason was that Sir Richard Willis was secretly giving information to Cromwell's spymaster, John Thurloe. Willis started sharing information around 1656, but why he did this is still a mystery.
Booth's Uprising (1659)
This uprising happened after Oliver Cromwell died. John Thurloe already knew about this plan. The Royalist soldiers, led by Sir George Booth, were defeated. This happened on August 19 at the Battle of Winnington Bridge. A part of the New Model Army, led by General John Lambert, won the battle.
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