Monck, George (1608-1670), was an English general and naval commander. His name is also spelled Monk. He helped restore King Charles II to the English throne in 1660.
Monck joined the army at the age of 17. He commanded Irish troops for the king in the English Civil War in the 1640’s, which ended with the triumph of Parliament and the English political and military leader Oliver Cromwell (see Cromwell, Oliver). The parliamentary troops defeated Monck in 1644 and imprisoned him in the Tower of London for two years. Cromwell then offered to free him if he would serve in the army of the Commonwealth of England. Monck did so and was made a lieutenant general.
He served the Commonwealth as commander in chief of Scotland in 1651 and 1652 and from 1654 to 1659. He helped command the English Navy in 1652 and 1653, and he defeated the Dutch in several naval battles.
After Cromwell’s death in 1658, Monck made possible the peaceful return of King Charles II. The Presbyterian members who had been driven out of Parliament in 1648 were brought back. Their presence in Parliament made certain a majority in favor of restoring Charles. Monck quietly shifted the armed forces throughout England to prevent any chance of an uprising.
Monck led Parliament in bringing back Charles II in 1660. Charles rewarded Monck by giving him a large pension and by making him Duke of Albemarle, privy councilor (adviser to the king), and lord lieutenant of Devon and Middlesex (now part of London). Monck was born on Dec. 6, 1608, in the English county of Devon. He died on Jan. 3, 1670.
