Oliver Cromwell

1599–1658

OLIVER CROMWELL

Oliver Cromwell came to prominence during the English Civil Wars, beginning as a cavalry commander, and eventually rising to become one of the leading generals of the Parliamentarian army. In this position he was instrumental in carrying out the execution of Charles I, and founding the Commonwealth of England, which he led from 1648 to his death in 1659. He is a highly controversial character in history, considered by some to by a tyrannical dictator and by others as a champion of liberty, religious freedom, and republicanism. In some ways his conduct was impeccable and always driven by the highest principles. On the other hand, he was a rabid anti-papist of the most extreme variety, and considerably intolerant of the vices and foibles of the great mass of humanity. Like many of the idealistic protestant reformers of his age, he nobly resisted the corruptions and hypocrisy of the established churches, and aristocratic abuses of the times, but in his attempt to impose what he considered a better system on a reluctant populace, was guilty of oppressions and abuses just as bad, and in many cases worse, than those he stood against. He has long been an object of particular hatred of Irishmen, and is typically held responsible for some 300 years worth of oppressions and atrocities based on an active military campaign in Ireland lasting little over six months.

Oliver Cromwell was a grand-nephew of Thomas Cromwell, the minister of Henry VIII famous for closing the English monasteries and confiscating their land. His family was of course, strongly anti-Catholic and he himself was a dedicated Puritan. He lived in relative obscurity until the English Civil War, at which time he joined the Army as a Cavalry leader, and quickly rose through the ranks. He distinguished great ability at the Battle of Marston Moor, but the Parliamentary army failed to follow up on its victories. Soon after, he along with Sir Thomas Fairfax, reformed the parliamentary army to make it more 'professional' and refused to let most members of Parliament have commissions. In addition to greatly improving the effectiveness of the army, this created a breach between the army and Parliament, resulting in the second and third civil wars, both of which occurred after the Royalists had already been defeated.

Charles I surrendered after the Battle of Naseby, and for two years negotiations between the Royalists, various factions of the army, and Parliament were unsuccessful in coming up with a mutually acceptable reform of government. During this period, Cromwell emerged as the dominant political leader of the army faction, and even broke with his old friend Thomas Fairfax over the execution of Charles I. After the execution of the king, the army faction assumed complete control of government, and Cromwell was eventually appointed "Lord Protector". He tolerated parliament only to the point that it would do his bidding, and did not hesitate to dissolve it entirely when it failed to make the reforms he desired. Cromwell was driven by highly idealistic ideas of religious freedom, and republican principles, but was utterly impatient with the obstructionism, inertia, and general sinfulness of the human beings he actually had to deal with. His government was respected but not loved. His efforts to reduce vice and the 'sinfulness' of the English people were deeply resented by various factions of irresolute sinners (including almost everyone), and on his death there was widespread desire to restore the corrupt and inefficient monarchy rather than to bear any longer the efficient and upright puritans. On Cromwell's death in 1659, one of his generals negotiated with Charles II to restore the monarchy, and two years later, his body was exhumed, hanged and beheaded by vengeful royalists.

Key events during the life of Oliver Cromwell:

Year	Event
1599	Oliver Cromwell is born.
1620	Marriage to Elizabeth Bourchier.
1628	Cromwell becomes a member of Parliament from Huntingdon.
	Charles I rules without a Parliament for 11 years.
1640	Cromwell is elected a member of the 'Long Parliament'.
1642	Cromwell recruits a small cavalry and joins the roundhead army.
1643	Cromwell gains experience at the Battle of Edgehill, and Gainsborough.
1644	Cromwell is responsible for the great Roundhead victory at Marston Moor.
1645	With Fairfax, Cromwell helps reorganize the Parliamentarian army. Members of Parliament are not allowed commissions.
1645	The 'New Model Army' defeats the King's army at the Battle of Naseby. Charles I surrenders to the Scots.
1647	Divisions develop between the parliament and its largely puritan army. Cromwell sides with the Army.
1648	Second English Civil War breaks out, as the Royalists try to resume power.
1648	Cromwell purges parliament of those who refuse to try the king on a charge of treason.
1649	Execution of Charles I. Establishment of the commonwealth.
1649	Invasion of Ireland. Siege of Drogheda.
1650	Scots proclaim Charles II king of Scots. Cromwell invades Scotland.
1653	Cromwell dissolves parliament when it fails to make his requested reforms.
1653	Cromwell made 'Lord Protector' for life.
1652-1654	First Anglo-Dutch War fought entirely at sea.
1657	Cromwell establishes religious toleration for Jews and encourages them to immigrate to England.
1659	Death of Cromwell.
1661	Cromwell's body was exhumed, hung in chains, and beheaded.

Book Links
Through Great Britain and Ireland With Cromwell  by  H. E. Marshall

Other Resources

Story Links	Book Links
King or Parliament?  in	Stories From English History, Part Second  by  Alfred J. Church
Lord Protector  in	Stories from English History, Part Third  by  Alfred J. Church
Oliver Cromwell  in	Famous Men of Modern Times  by  John H. Haaren
Civil War between King and Parliament  in	The Story of England  by  Samuel B. Harding
Cromwell, 1599-1658  in	Saints and Heroes Since the Middle Ages  by  George Hodges
Under the Stuarts  in	Ireland: Peeps at History  by  Beatrice Home
Commonwealth—The Lord Protector  in	Our Island Story  by  H. E. Marshall
Cromwell—How the Soldier Poet Died  in	Scotland's Story  by  Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall
Cromwell and the Parliament  in	Historical Tales: English  by  Charles Morris
In the Days of Oliver Cromwell  in	The Awakening of Europe  by  M. B. Synge
Great Civil War  in	The Tudors and the Stuarts  by  M. B. Synge
Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth  in	The Tudors and the Stuarts  by  M. B. Synge

Image Links
Cromwell  in Famous Men of Modern Times	Cromwell dissolving the Long Parliament  in Famous Men of Modern Times	Oliver Cromwell  in Saints and Heroes Since the Middle Ages
Cromwell leading the assault on Drogheda  in Ireland: Peeps at History	Oliver Cromwell  in Ireland: Peeps at History	Oliver Cromwell and his men perge parliament Oliver Cromwell and his men perge parliament  in Back Matter
Cromwell's Daughter Entreats him to Refuse the Crown Cromwell's Daughter Entreats him to Refuse the Crown  in Back Matter	Cromwell as a member of Parliament  in Through Great Britain and Ireland With Cromwell	Oliver and Charles  in Through Great Britain and Ireland With Cromwell
Cromwell in Edinburgh  in Through Great Britain and Ireland With Cromwell	Cromwell and Sir Walter Stewart  in Through Great Britain and Ireland With Cromwell	Cromwell as Lord Protector  in Through Great Britain and Ireland With Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell  in Historical Tales: English	Oliver Cromwell  in  Sir Walter Raleigh	The Christening  in  Sir Walter Raleigh
He was sent in custody to London  in  Sir Walter Raleigh	'My masters, he is come, he is come.'  in  Sir Walter Raleigh	Cromwell ridest through London  in  Sir Walter Raleigh
Cromwell reading to his family  in  Sir Walter Raleigh	Colonel Pride refusing admission to the Presbyterian members of Parliament  in The Tudors and the Stuarts	Oliver Cromwell  in The Tudors and the Stuarts
Cromwell refusing the crown  in The Tudors and the Stuarts	Cromwell's family listening to Milton playing the organ at Hampton Court  in The Tudors and the Stuarts

Contemporary	Short Biography
Charles I	Second Stuart king. His quarrels with Parliament led to civil war and his execution.
Thomas Fairfax	Commander of the Parliamentary forces during the English Civil War. Declined to condemn Charles I to death.
Charles II	Restored to the throne after death of Cromwell. Presided over the great fire and plague of London.
Prince Rupert	Commanded Royalist Cavalry during English Civil War, later an admiral, inventor and trader.
John Milton	John Milton was friend of Cromwell and a poet. His most famous work was Paradise Lost.
John Bunyan	Author of A Pilgrim's Progress, a widely read tale of spiritual awakening.
George Monck	Puritan officer who assumed the protectorate after the death of Cromwell, but then arranged for the Restoration of the monarchy.