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However, from this point on Cromwell signed his name 'Oliver P', the P being an abbreviation for Protector, which was similar to the style of monarchs who used an R to mean Rex or Regina, and it soon became the norm for others to address him as "Your Highness".
- Soldier and statesman
- Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
- pre-1642 (militia service), 1642–1651 (civil war)
- Robert Cromwell (father), Elizabeth Steward (mother)
- Cromwell’s Early Life
- Health and Financial Woes
- Military Career
- Second English Civil War
- Pride's Purge
- Cromwell in Ireland
- Cromwell’s Rise to Power
- How Did Oliver Cromwell Die?
- Sources
Cromwell was born in 1599 in Huntingdon, near Cambridge, in England. The Cromwells had been a wealthy family for generations, and were part of the landed gentry in the region. He was descended on his father’s side from Thomas Cromwell, a minister of King Henry VIII. Like most children born in the country at the time, Cromwell was baptized in the Ch...
Cromwell was first elected to Parliament, representing Huntingdon, in 1628. Though this marked the start of his political career, his success in the halls of power was not matched in other aspects of his life. In 1631, for example, Cromwell was forced to sell much of his land holdings in Huntingdon following a dispute with local officials. In addit...
Charles I may have reconvened Parliament, but his commonwealth remained a fragile state. In 1642, an armed conflict began between troops loyal to Parliament — the New Model Army — against those allied with the monarchy. This was known as the English Civil War, and it was during this time that Cromwell’s career as a military leader was born. Cromwel...
Cromwell was among the lead negotiators for the Parliamentarians as they attempted to work out a settlement with Royalists loyal to the monarch. When those talks collapsed, fighting between the two sides resumed in 1648, and the Second English Civil War began. Cromwell travelled to Scotland to lead troops against forces there loyal to the king. At ...
By the end of 1648, the Parliamentarians had won a decisive victory in the Second English Civil War. After Pride's Purge, in which troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Pride arrested those in Parliament still loyal to the monarch, the chamber was reconvened with a membership that was decidedly anti-monarch. In the aftermath of the purge, the ...
Cromwell led the invasion of Ireland, landing in Dublin on August 15, 1649, and his forces soon took the ports of Drogheda and Wexford. At Drogheda, Cromwell’s men killed some 3,500 people, including 2,700 Royalist soldiers as well as hundreds of civilians and Catholic priests. His troops killed an estimated 1,500 civilians at Wexford, which they a...
Cromwell returned to England in 1650 after the Scots proclaimed as king Charles II, son of Charles I. Cromwell would lead a subsequent military campaign against the Scots, including a decisive victory at the Scottish city of Dundee. With the Scots defeated, Parliament re-formed in 1651. Cromwell sought to push the legislative body to call for new e...
Cromwell died from kidney disease or a urinary tract infection in 1658 at age 59 while still serving as Lord Protector. His son Richard Cromwell assumed the post, but was forced to resign due to a lack of support within Parliament or the military. In the leadership vacuum that ensued, George Monck assumed control of the New Model Army and spearhead...
The Letters and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell, Volume 1. Cromwell’s Legacy. Reviews in History. Mulraney, Frances. “Oliver Cromwell’s war crimes, the Massacre of Drogheda in 1649.” Irish Central. Oliver Cromwell, BBC. Headless story. The Economist. Oliver Cromwell and Family. Westminster Abbey. Kennedy, M. (2009). “Oliver Cromwell's grave comes back ...
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Apr 29, 2024 · Oliver Cromwell, English soldier and statesman, who led parliamentary forces in the English Civil Wars and was lord protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1653–58) during the republican Commonwealth. Learn more about the life and accomplishments of Cromwell in this article.
- What was Oliver Cromwell’s family like?The son of Robert Cromwell—a member of one of Queen Elizabeth I’s parliaments, a landlord, and a justice of the peace—Oliver Cromwell also was desc...
- What were Oliver Cromwell’s beliefs?In religious matters, Oliver Cromwell, a Puritan, believed that individual Christians could establish direct contact with God through prayer and th...
- What did Oliver Cromwell accomplish?As one of the generals on the parliamentary side in the English Civil Wars (1642–51) against Charles I, Oliver Cromwell helped overthrow the Stuart...
- How did Oliver Cromwell influence others?Oliver Cromwell’s victories at home and abroad helped to enlarge and sustain a Puritan attitude of mind in Great Britain and North America that lon...
Feb 2, 2022 · Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) was an accomplished cavalry commander, then head of Parliament's New Model Army, and finally Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The latter title was awarded to Cromwell for life after the bloody conclusion of the English Civil Wars (1642-1651) and the execution of King Charles I of England (r. 1625-1649).
- Mark Cartwright
- What is Oliver Cromwell best known for?Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector or military dictator of England and Ireland after the English Civil Wars. Parliament, under his authority, execu...
- Was Oliver Cromwell a good guy?Oliver Cromwell was popular with some people and unpopular with others. A committed Puritan and ruthless military commander, he believed God wanted...
- Who was Oliver Cromwell the leader of?Oliver Cromwell led the Puritan faction of the English Parliament. He was also a cavalry commander and then commander-in-chief of Parliament's New...
- Who banned Christmas in England?The Puritan Oliver Cromwell, who was Lord Protector, banned the celebration of Christmas in England in the 1650s. It was a very unpopular move but...
Feb 17, 2011 · By Professor Morrill. Last updated 2011-02-17. Oliver Cromwell played a leading role in bringing Charles I to trial and execution, and was a key figure during the civil war. Why does he remain...
The constitution set out the powers of the head of state, or ‘Lord Protector’, who was to hold office for life. Oliver Cromwell was named in the constitution as the first Lord Protector. The Protector was the head of state, holding a veto over parliamentary bills and could dissolve parliament once its guaranteed minimum lifespan had expired.
Maurice Ashley. Oliver Cromwell - Protectorate, Puritanism, Revolution: Before Cromwell summoned his first Protectorate Parliament on September 3, 1654, he and his Council of State passed more than 80 ordinances embodying a constructive domestic policy. His aim was to reform the law, to set up a Puritan Church, to permit toleration outside it ...
