Commonwealth

Commonwealth (practically, a translation of Lat. res publica, 'republic') is used in a special sense for the form of government established in England after the execution of Charles I. in January 1649. Usually the Commonwealth is held to extend till the Restoration in 1660; and in the Calendar of State Papers this is the usage of the word. But the Commonwealth is sometimes limited to the period 1649–53, ending with the establishment of Cromwell's Protectorate. See CROMWELL, ENGLAND. Several states of the American Union are officially called commonwealths, as is also the new 'Commonwealth of Australia.'