In 1661, a radical religious sect tried to seize London to trigger an apocalypse
A radical religious group known as the Fifth Monarchists attempted a violent takeover of London in 1661, believing their rebellion would trigger the literal second coming of Jesus Christ.
In January 1661, a wine cooper named Thomas Venner led a small but zealous group of Fifth Monarchists into the streets of London. They believed that the execution of King Charles I had cleared the way for the 'Fifth Monarchy,' a biblical kingdom ruled by Christ. Armed with halberds and a sense of divine mission, they fought with such ferocity that they briefly panicked the city's professional soldiers.
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