During the early years of Aphra Behn’s childhood, England fell into a Civil War (1642-1651). The Civil War was waged between the Parliamentarians—a group of members of Parliament and their supporters, led by the Puritan Oliver Cromwell—and the Royalists, or Cavaliers, who were loyal to Charles I and his monarchy. Royalists believed in the Divine Right of Kings to exercise absolute power, while the Parliamentarians first wanted to limit the king’s power, then ultimately decided to abolish it. The Parliamentarian army eventually won over the Royalist forces, executing King Charles I in 1649 and establishing a new “Protectorate” under Oliver Cromwell. Meanwhile, Charles I’s heir, also called Charles, fled into exile in Europe.

The Protectorate was supposed to be a republic with religious freedom, but Cromwell became increasingly king-like as he installed a military-enforced Puritan regime. The Puritans, as the name suggests, wanted to “purify” the English Church by eliminating many of the elaborate rites they considered superfluous, and advocating adherence to a strict moral code. The Puritans deemed anything frivolous as sinful, which led to the banning of theatrical productions in 1642, along with public sports. Plays still occurred, but only in private performances, often in homes. Under Cromwell, women were forced to dress modestly and forgo make-up; no one was allowed to wear bright colors or swear.