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In looking back at theatre history we can see strong religious ideologies that helped shape the nature of theatrical productions. Before 1642 theater was widely celebrated by royalty with the backing and support of King Charles I, who was extremely supportive of theater as an art form. Around 1642 England began a bloody civil war that would last until 1648. In the early part of the war royalists defeated the parliamentarians. Later, military leader and protectorate Oliver Cromwell built his own army and was victorious in winning the Battle of Nasbey against the royalist forces. In 1648 the war had ended and Charles I was captured by the Scottish and taken to Cromwell. Charles was then beheaded Oliver Cromwell took over leadership power in England. This was the first time in history that England was governed by someone outside of the monarchy. Under Cromwell, theatre was outlawed because it was associated with the monarchy and considered immoral, possessing non-Puritan values. He saw an unequal balance of power in the parliament and in 1653 dissolved the parliament and designated himself as Lord Protectorate. When Cromwell summoned Parliament again in 1656, he found that they were not supportive. They instead, wanted to