In early May 1659, political unrest in England reached a critical point as dissatisfaction with Richard Cromwell's rule as Lord Protector grew. Cromwell, who succeeded his father Oliver Cromwell, faced mounting challenges due to economic difficulties, political fragmentation, and opposition from various factions, including royalists and republicans. The discontent among the army, once a strong supporter of the Commonwealth, culminated in a coup led by a faction that believed that Cromwell was not adequately representing their interests or the ideals of the revolution.

On May 6, a group of army officers acted decisively, insisting on Cromwell's ouster. They forcefully entered Whitehall, appealing to their authority as defenders of the Commonwealth amidst rising chaos. Cromwell's inability to secure trust from the military led to his resignation under pressure. Shortly thereafter, the Rump Parliament, which had been initially dismissed in 1653, was reinstated as the primary governing body. This restoration marked a significant return to parliamentary governance in an experiment that had seen various iterations of rule.

As the Rump Parliament reconvened, it grappled with the immediate tasks of addressing the tension between military and civilian governance, the economy, and internal divisions. The events of May also reflected broader themes within the English Civil War and the Commonwealth period, as loyalties continued to shift and the struggle for control unfolded in this turbulent era. The military's intervention signalled not merely a change in leadership but also represented an enduring challenge to the notion of governance that had started to take shape under Cromwell's rule.