The Birth of Oliver Cromwell | History Today The Birth of Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell was born on April 25th, 1599. Richard Cavendish charts his early life. Oliver Cromwell c. 1649 by Robert Walker A baby boy was christened in the church of St John the Baptist in Huntingdon on April 29th, 1599. Years later someone added to the Latin entry in the birth register, 'England's plague for five years'. Later still, someone else took heavy black ink and crossed out this partisan gloss. The child, the future Lord Protector of England, had been born on April 25th, probably in the early hours of the morning, in a house in the town's high street which was rebuilt in about 1830 and is now called Cromwell House. The only son of Robert and Elizabeth Cromwell to survive, though he would grow up among a flock of sisters, he was named Oliver after his uncle, the richest member of the family, Sir Oliver Cromwell, who lived in hospitable grandeur at Hinchingbrooke House, outside Huntingdon. The boy should really have been Oliver Williams.

His great-grandfather was Richard Williams, who in Henry VIII's time rose so far in the world under the wing of his maternal uncle Thomas Cromwell that he gratefully changed his surname to Cromwell. Richard's father was Morgan Williams from Glamorgan, who owned property in England and married Thomas Cromwell's elder sister Katherine. Richard himself remained a favourite with Henry VIII after Thomas Cromwell's fall. The spoils of his service to the state included land taken from Ramsey Abbey and the nunnery at Hinchingbrooke. They were inherited by his son Sir Henry Cromwell, known as 'the golden knight' for his lavish spending. He entertained Elizabeth I in style at Hinchingbrooke in 1564, while his eldest son, Sir Oliver, entertained James I several times and finished the job of throwing the family wealth away. The Cromwells were now well connected in England's eastern counties. Sir Henry's second son, Robert Cromwell, who inherited the house in Huntingdon, was a gentleman farmer, justice of the peace, member of parliament, and the town's joint mayor.

Two Cromwell sisters, Elizabeth and Frances, were respectively the mothers of John Hampden, a leading Parliamentarian against Charles I, and Edward Whalley, a future Roundhead general and regicide. Oliver Cromwell's own mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of William Steward, of a comfortably-off Norfolk family who farmed Ely's abbey and cathedral lands. The idea that the Stewards were connected with the royal Stuarts and descended from a Scottish prince shipwrecked on the Norfolk coast in 1406 is a non-starter. The Lord Protector himself never took it seriously, though he did once joke that his mother was a Stuart at a drinking party in Edinburgh in 1651. Little is known about Oliver's childhood, despite fanciful tales about him being stolen from his cradle by a pet monkey, dreaming that he would be king one day, or on a visit to his uncle at Hinchingbrooke during one of James I's visits, punching on the nose another small boy who would grow up to be Charles I. He went to Huntingdon grammar school, now the Cromwell Museum.

The master was Thomas Beard, a Cromwell family friend and a zealous Puritan who regarded the Pope as Antichrist and believed in the Almighty's keen eye for sin and promptness to punish it. In 1616, Oliver went up to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, but left without a degree when his father died the following year. Reports that Oliver preferred cheerful company and football, cudgels and other boisterous sports to academic study are probably true. He grew up as a gentleman farmer and all his life he loved horses and dogs and country pursuits. There were many stories of him drinking and sowing his wild oats as a young man, but in 1620, when he was twenty-one and she was twenty-three, he married Elizabeth Bourchier, the daughter of a well-to-do London fur and leather merchant, at St Giles', Cripplegate. The groom was described in the marriage settlement as 'Oliver Cromwell alias Williams'. He took his bride back to Huntingdon, where he managed the family estate until, in 1628, his election as member of parliament for the town started him on a career which would make him ruler of England.

BBC - iWonder - Was Oliver Cromwell the father of British democracy? Was Oliver Cromwell the father of British democracy? 1599 1658Cromwell's legacy A meteoric rise to the top Oliver Cromwell was a fanatical puritan who enforced the abolition of Christmas. He rose from relative obscurity as an MP to become one of the most controversial figures in British history. Cromwell won the first civil war involving the whole of Britain and was the key figure in the execution of Charles I. Find out how a revolutionary who toppled a king, only to become a despot himself, paved the way for parliamentary democracy. 1599 An early religious radical Portraits showing Oliver Cromwell's wife Elizabeth and son Richard. Cromwell was born into a fairly wealthy family of landowners in Huntingdonshire. He was the only surviving son. His religious beliefs were shaped at school. He was influenced by his teacher, Thomas Beard, who wrote a well known puritanical book called The Theatre of God’s Judgement, which portrayed the Pope as the Antichrist. It likely made Cromwell more anti-Catholic. He studied briefly at Cambridge University, but chose sport over his books.

After his father’s sudden death, Cromwell returned home to assume control of the house. 1628 Opposed to a despot Portrait of King Charles I by Sir Anthony Van Dyck. Cromwell became MP for Huntington. His first term in Parliament lasted less than a year, not enough time to make an impression. King Charles I didn’t recall Parliament for another 11 years and Cromwell remained in obscurity. He became increasingly opposed to the King’s interpretation of Protestantism, which was at odds with his own austere puritan outlook. 1640 A radical, militant MP MPs who had supported the Scots rebels. Flight of the Five Members by John Seymour Lucas. When the King declared war on Scotland and was forced to recall parliament to raise taxes to pay for it, Cromwell became a leading opposition figure. He encouraged MPs to turn down the King’s request. Charles I responded by entering the House of Commons with troops to arrest five rebellious MPs, but they had already fled. A radical group formed with Cromwell as one of the leaders, which responded by demanding the surrender of much royal power to Parliament. Indignantly, Charles I refused. Britain was set on the path to civil war.

1644 Revered as a war hero Cromwell at the Battle of Marston Moor, 1644. Cromwell further established his military prowess at the Battle of Marston Moor, when Parliament took control of northern England for the first time. His horsemen broke the Royalist cavalry and successfully attacked their infantry from the rear. Cromwell led from the front, even though he was injured in the neck. He returned to the battlefield to take part in the Parliamentarians' biggest victory to date. Now, Cromwell epitomised their cause. 1645 A supreme tactician You need to have JavaScript enabled to view this clip. Find out how the discipline of the New Model Army made it so effective. Clip from Roundhead or Cavalier: Which one are you? (BBC Four, 2012) Cromwell helped establish the New Model Army, for the first time a force recruited on merit, not social class - the basis of today's army. He introduced discipline into his troops, which allowed his officers to better control and direct their men. For the first time, the soldiers were paid their wages on a regular basis. The result was a loyal and dedicated army.

The most feared section of the New Model Army was the ‘Ironsides’ cavalry. A devastatingly effective military force, it inflicted the Royalists’ biggest defeat at the Battle of Naseby in 1645. Within a year the Civil War was over and Charles I was under house arrest. 1649 Revenge became genocidal You need to have JavaScript enabled to view this clip. See how more butchery was unleashed, notably at Wexford, leaving an indelible mark on Anglo-Irish relations. Clip: Story of Ireland (BBC Two, 2011). The Royalists regrouped and allied with the rebellious Catholics in Ireland. They aimed to invade Britain and overthrow the parliamentary regime. Cromwell invaded Ireland and attacked a heavily fortified stronghold at Drogheda, on Ireland’s east coast. He stormed the city and slaughtered thousands – a bloody act, which he said was retribution for a Catholic massacre of Protestants in 1641. Cromwell returned to England and in 1651 crushed a Scottish invasion led by King Charles I’s son at the Battle of Worcester. Cromwell called it his ‘crowning victory’. Now Parliament had full control of the country.

The man who could take Drogheda could take hell Sir Arthur Aston, Royalist commander of Drogheda 1653 Toppled any weakness Illustration of Oliver Cromwell ejecting the rump of the Long Parliament from the House of Commons. After the fighting had ended, Cromwell turned his attention to replacing an English government he thought had become corrupt. He found a ‘Rump Parliament’ of MPs, who appeared determined to extend their rule indefinitely. Cromwell harangued them on the floor of the House of Commons for being self-serving and then his troops forcibly shut down Parliament. He replaced it with ‘the assembly of saints’, a nominated group of men he considered suitably puritan. But, when they too proved unsatisfactory, he had them removed as well. 1658 Cromwell's legacy The statue of Oliver Cromwell outside the Houses of Parliament. Cromwell died on September 3 of natural causes. An event still commemorated by the Cromwell Association. His son Richard inherited the title of Lord Protector, but he could not control the army. So in 1660 Charles I’s son was restored to the throne.

When Charles II became King the British celebrated the end of Cromwell’s rule with arguably the biggest booze-up the country has ever seen. However the Restoration Settlement did not give back to the King financial control over the government and military. It was the start of the road to parliamentary democracy. This was Cromwell’s greatest legacy, The life of Oliver Cromwell By Ellen Castelow , Contributing Writer | Comments Oliver Cromwell ( 1599 - 1658), Lord Protector of England Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, was executed on 30th January 1661 - two and half years AFTER his death... Early life Oliver Cromwell was born in Huntington, a small town near Cambridge, on 25 April 1599 to Robert Cromwell and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of William Steward. Although not a direct descendent of Henry VIII’s chief minister Thomas Cromwell (who was famously promoted to the earldom of Essex but later executed in 1540 when he fell from the King’s favour), Oliver Cromwell’s great-great-grandfather, Morgan Williams, married Thomas’ sister Katherine in 1497.

It was Morgan and Katherine’s three sons who took the surname Cromwell in honour of their famous maternal uncle. This practice was repeated by many of their descendants, who also occasionally used the surname Williams-alias-Cromwell. (In contrast, in the wake of the Restoration some members of the family reverted to the surname Williams temporarily to distance themselves from any links to Oliver Cromwell. ) Morgan Williams and Katherine Cromwell’s eldest son Richard had two sons, Henry and Francis, both of whom also used the surname Cromwell. Like his father before him, Henry went on to be knighted and of his eleven children by his first wife, Oliver’s father Robert was one of the youngest. Whilst Cromwell’s later life as a military and political leader is well documented, his modest upbringing and early family life is not. Indeed for the first forty years of his life Cromwell remained relatively obscure and he himself remarked in 1654 that he was “by birth a gentleman, living neither in considerable height, nor yet in obscurity". It was not until the English civil wars of the 1640s that he had the opportunity to rise to power.

Having been educated at Huntingdon grammar school (which now houses the Cromwell Museum) and later at the puritan influenced Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, run by a well-known Calvinist Samuel Ward, Cromwell first made a living as a minor landowner, farming and collecting tenancy rents following the modest inheritance left by his father. Robert passed away in June 1617, which led to Cromwell leaving Cambridge without completing his degree to return to the homestead to support his mother and seven unmarried sisters. Whilst overseeing his father’s land Cromwell is said to have studied law briefly at Lincoln’s Inn of Court in London, where it is thought that he met his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir James Bourchier, a knighted London merchant and owner of a significant amount of land with strong connections to the puritan gentry of Essex. On his small income Cromwell supported both his wife and his ever expanding family (Oliver and Elizabeth had nine children in all, although only six survived into adulthood). As the only surviving son himself, Cromwell was also tasked with supporting his widowed mother, who outlived her husband by a further 37 years.

Cromwell relocated to the Cambridge town of St Ives in 1631 and then to Ely in 1636 following the inheritance of property from his maternal uncle. The rise in status which the inheritance provided, along with a commitment to the puritan way of life as a result of Cromwell’s self declared ‘spiritual awakening’ in the 1630s, arrived during a time of extreme political and religious unrest in England. However, whilst Cromwell became an MP for Cambridge he was not significantly involved in national politics until the 1640s. Military and Political Leader The summer of 1642 saw the outbreak of the first English Civil War between the Royalists, the supporters of King Charles I who claimed that the King should have absolute power as his divine right as king, and the Parliamentarians who favoured a constitutional monarchy and later the abolition of the monarchy and the House of Lords completely. Colloquially, Royalists were also called Cavaliers in reference to the Latin caballarius, meaning horseman and in Henry IV, Part 2 Shakespeare used the word to describe a haughty member of the gentry.

Parliamentarians were referred to as ‘roundheads’ because many Puritan men wore their hair cropped in what would today be described as a ‘bowl cut’ in contrast to the long ringlets favoured by their royalist counterparts as dictated by courtly fashion of the day. Both names were used derisively by their opponents. From the very beginning Cromwell was a committed member of the parliamentary army. He was swiftly promoted to second in command as lieutenant-general of the Eastern Association army, parliament’s largest and most effective regional army, followed by a further promotion to second in command of the newly formed main parliamentary army, the New Model Army in 1645. When Civil War once again flared up in 1648 Cromwell’s military successes meant that his political influence had greatly increased. December 1648 saw a split between those MPs who wished to continue to support the King and those such as Cromwell (known as the ‘rump parliament’) who felt that the only way to bring a halt to the civil wars was through Charles’ trial and execution. Indeed Cromwell was the third of 59 MPs to sign Charles’ death warrant.

Westminster Hall (above, left) where the trial of King Charles I took place, and his subsequent execution (above, right) Following the King’s execution in 1649, The Commonwealth of England was introduced and lead by a Council of State to replace the monarchy. Cromwell led the English military campaigns to establish control of Ireland in 1649 and later Scotland in 1650. This resulted in the end of the Civil War with a Parliamentary victory at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651 and the introduction of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland. Cromwell was appointment to Lord General, effectively commander in chief, of the parliamentary armed forces in 1650. In December 1653, Cromwell became Lord Protector, a role in which he remained until his death five years later. Whilst he later rejected Parliament's offer of the crown, preferring to describe himself as a ‘constable or watchman’ of the Commonwealth, Cromwell’s role as the first Lord Protector was akin to that of a monarch involving “the chief magistracy and the administration of government”.

However, the Instrument of Government constitution decreed that he must receive a majority vote from the Council of State should he wish to call or dissolve a parliament, thus establishing the precedent that an English monarch cannot govern without Parliament's consent, which is still upheld today. Death and Execution It is thought that Cromwell suffered from kidney stones or similar urinary/kidney complaints and in 1658 in the aftermath of malarial fever Cromwell was once again struck down with a urinary infection, which saw his decline and eventual death at the age of 59 on Friday 3 September. Co-incidentally this was also the anniversary of his victories at Worcester and the Scottish town of Dunbar during the Scottish campaign of 1650-51. It is thought that Cromwell’s death was caused by septicemia brought on by the infection, although his grief following the death of his supposed favourite daughter Elizabeth the previous month from what is thought to be cancer certainly contributed to his rapid decline. Both Cromwell and his daughter received an elaborate ceremony (Cromwell’s funeral was based on that of King James I) and buried in a newly-created vault in Henry VII's chapel at Westminster Abbey.

Following Cromwell’s death his son Richard succeeded him to become Lord Protector. However, Richard lacked the political and military power of his father and his forced resignation in May 1659 effectively ended the Protectorate. The lack of a clear Commonwealth leadership lead to the restoration of Parliament and the monarchy in 1660 under Charles II. On 30 January 1661, Oliver Cromwell's body, along with that of John Bradshaw, President of the High Court of Justice for the trial of King Charles I and Henry Ireton, Cromwell’s son-in-law and general in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War, were removed from Westminster Abbey to be posthumously tried for high treason and ‘executed’. This symbolic date was chosen to coincide with the execution of Charles I twelve years previously. The three bodies were hung from the Tyburn gallows in chains before being beheaded at sunset. The bodies were then thrown in a common grave and the heads were displayed on a twenty foot spike at Westminster Hall, where they remained until 1685 when a storm caused the spike to break, tossing the heads to the ground below.

Unusually, at the time of Charles I’s execution Cromwell had allowed the King's head to be sewn back on to his body to allow his family to pay their last respects to the corpse. Cromwell's own head was found by a soldier who hid it in his chimney. On his deathbed, he bequeathed the relic to his daughter. In 1710 the head appeared in a 'Freak Show', described as 'The Monster's Head'. For many years the head passed through numerous hands, the value increasing with each transaction until a Dr. Wilkinson bought it. The head was offered by the Wilkinson family to his Alma Mater, Sydney Sussex College in 1960. It was given a dignified burial in a secret place in the college grounds. It is said that Cromwell’s daughter Elizabeth, his supposed favourite child, had used her influence over her father to seek mercy for several royalist plotters and prisoners during the Civil War.

It is thought that her intercessions on behalf of the royalists were taken into account when most Cromwellians were removed from Westminster Abbey because her body was not exhumed during the Restoration, although her final resting place in the Cromwell vault is now shared with Charles II’s illegitimate descendants! Popular culture Despite his death over 350 years ago, to this day Cromwell continues to provoke a strong reaction following his significant role in a dramatic and troubled period of British history. He has prompted numerous monuments, films, television and radio programmes and been broadly referenced throughout popular culture, from being the codeword to warn of an imminent German invasion of Britain in 1940 to Monty Python’s 1989 Oliver Cromwell and more recently the 2004 single by Morrissey, Irish Blood, English Heart. However Winston Churchill’s suggestion to name the British battleship HMS Oliver Cromwell when he was First Lord of the Admiralty did not gain royal approval, funnily enough! Tweet If you enjoyed this article, you might also like...

Phantom Battle of Edgehill - The Battle of Edgehill on October 23rd 1642, was the first battle of the English Civil War - and is reputed to be contested again and again by ghostly armies at the battle site ... Bits and Pieces - Like Cromwell, other famous people have had body parts 'taken' or 'lost'... Living History Events Diary - Try our events diary to meet with some Roundheads and Cavaliers ... Ely - The ancient city of Ely occupies the largest island in the Fens. The "Isle of Ely" is so called because it was only accessible by boat until the waterlogged Fens were drained in the 17th century. It was an Anglo Saxon princess, Saint Ethelreda, who founded ... Advertising Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) Biography – Life of a Lord Protector Religious Affiliation Puritan Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) was the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Ireland and Scotland. He was a well known military and political leader of the 1600s. Cromwell was born in Huntingdon to Robert Cromwell and Elizabeth Steward.

His family was of mid gentry class and was, at one time, one of the most wealthy in the area. However, since Robert was the youngest out of the siblings, his wealth was limited to a house and a bit of land. This gave him income that would make him considered one of the lower earning gentries. Early Life Cromwell studied at Huntingdon Grammar School and later attended Sidney Sussex College in Cambridge. He left without a degree after his father’s death in 1617. It has been said that he studied law in London. However, no records of him have been found in Lincoln’s Inn, the institution he most likely attended. Cromwell left school to support an expanding family—his widowed mother with his seven sisters and later his wife and their children. Cromwell made a living by farming and collecting rent from tenants using their little land. He lived an obscure early life at the bottom of the gentry class. Despite his considerably low standing, Cromwell was still able to rub shoulders with very influential people. His grandfather, who was a knight during his time, lived just outside Huntingdon. Cromwell would frequently visit his grandfather’s estate and entertain powerful members of the court.

His wife’s father was also an influential figure and was able to introduce Cromwell to leading Puritan figures. During 1637, Cromwell’s uncle passed away without heirs. This gave him a modest inheritance and some land to help support his family. Religious Crisis Between 1620 and 1630 Cromwell suffered what we would call today a mental breakdown. He was battling a personal crisis that had a lot to do with his religion. He sought treatment for depression and was observed to have been exchanging letters with an Arminian minister. During this time, he underwent a powerful religious conversion, turning to Puritanism, afterwards believing that God wanted to use him for a mission. Parliament During 1628, Cromwell was sponsored by the Montagu family and elected into the house of commons for Huntingdon. During this time, he made only one speech which was not received well. He made very little impact during the short stay. He was also probably the poorest member of parliament during the time. He owed this position to aristocratic connections rather than any good merit on his part. He seemed to have been overwhelmed by his status, and made very little contribution.

When parliament dissolved because of Charles I, he went back to farming. Charles I ruled without parliament for eleven years until the Bishop Wars. This was a Scottish rebellion where Charles I faced a shortage of funds which lead to a re-opening of Parliament in 1640. During this time, Cromwell was elected into Parliament, now representing Cambridge. He was a very outspoken member and he did not hesitate in criticizing royal policies as well as the rules of the established Anglican Church. He also had many advocacies regarding the power of the Parliament. Cromwell wanted annual Parliamentary meetings and for the Parliament to have power in naming army generals instead of the king. Military Leader Cromwell was more known as a military leader than a politician. Though he had no training or exposure during his life, he grew up around horses. His experience as a landowner gave him knowledge about these animals. He was convinced that if he could produce a very disciplined army, he would be able to defeat the Cavaliers of Prince Rupert. When the fighting broke out, he was appointed as captain of horse in 1642. His leadership qualities were recognized and within a year he moved up in rank, being named Lieutenant General of Horse for the Army of the Eastern Association.

The three largest parliamentary armies were combined and leaders could not agree upon a number of things. During the year 1645, the Parliament could not decide who they wanted to lead their armies, so they appointed Cromwell as a temporary commander. This was only supposed to last for forty days, yet it was renewed many times. In the year 1647, Cromwell permanently became commander of the cavalry. Cromwell trained his army to stay together after charge and not to aim at individual targets. This helped the men stay together and charge at the Cavaliers repeatedly. Cromwell had a natural instinct to lead and train his men. This led them to a lot of victories. He relied on pressing forward, giving his army an impact, rather than counting solely on firepower. The First English Civil War In late 1642 an armed conflict between the Parliament and Charles I was sparked by the failure to resolve any of the issues from before the Long Parliament. Cromwell relied on soldiers that were recruited by landowners who believed in their cause. It was not until three years later that Cromwell took over the cavalier and the Parliament appointed a new army of 22,000 professional soldiers under their commander-in-chief General Thomas Fairfax.

This was known as the New Model Army. The cause behind the conflict was seen as political and religious. During the first civil war, Cromwell was able to create innovative military techniques that helped him in his success. Close-order cavalry formations were introduced during this time, which meant that the troops rode knee-to-knee. Cromwell claimed that his military success was in favor of God’s will. He was an effective leader and was able to lead his men into victory, using various tactics. This was something impressive for someone who had no formal military training. It was said that he had skill to back up his courage he also trained his men with discipline on and off the battlefield. The Battle of Marston Moor The troop rode on to take part in the Battle of Edgehill, but they arrived too late. They were then recruited to be a full regimen for the winter of 1642-1643. They fought under the Earl of Manchester as part of the Eastern Association. The Battle of Marston Moor took place in July 1644 where Cromwell’s had risen in rank, still under Manchester.

This battle was a significant part in Parliamentary victory, most notably, when the cavalry of Cromwell attacked the infantry of the Royalists from the rear at Marston Moor. Cromwell was slightly injured during the battle and had to step aside for a while in order to tend to his neck wounds. His nephew had died in Marston Moor and this was the time he wrote the famous letter to his brother-in-law. He praised God throughout his moving letter which told of how his brother-in-law’s eldest son died. Though Cromwell’s troops were able to secure a large portion of North England during this time, they still failed to end the resistance of the Royalists. During this time, the war showed no signs of ending. The New Model Army The men who were members of The New Model Army received formal military training under the command of Cromwell. They were very disciplined, unlike the cavalry of Prince Rupert. It was said that after charging Prince Rupert’s troops would head off in different directions, trying to attack enemies one at a time. This gave them no force and no chance to charge again. Many of his horsemen could not return to the battlefield and the horses could not mount men any longer.

The New Model Army was taught discipline, skill and courage under the leadership of Cromwell. The process of promotion in the New Model Army was not similar to that of the past. Unlike traditional armies, you could not receive a higher position or rank just because you came from a wealthy or powerful family. Men were promoted based on performance and skill. This gave the men more discipline and greater motivation. For the first time, working class men were allowed to become officers in the army. Cromwell wanted to make sure that the men who fought with him shared his values, believing that God was on their side. They would often sing Psalms and songs of praise before they went into battle. The Battle of Naseby The turning point of the war was marked by the Battle of Naseby. During the 1645 battle, The New Model army tore down the King’s troops. Cromwell led his army to great success, rerouting the Royalists once again. After this battle Charles I was not able to put forth an army that was powerful enough to face the Parliamentary army. Charles I saw defeat in all battles after this one. It was the Battle of Naseby and Langsley that drained the King of any hope.

When he realized that there was nothing left to do, he fled to Scotland in January of 1648 where he was captured and handed over to the Parliamentary army. He was imprisoned in Hampton court, yet he managed to escape during November that same year. He convinced the Scots to fight on his side, and he was able to raise another army. Soon enough, Cromwell’s army defeated the Scots and Charles I was taken prisoner. Leadership and Puritanism Cromwell leaned towards tolerance, yet debates and the King’s escape from Hampton hardened his heart. He became very vocal about supporting regicide. Many of his speeches and letters were heavily influenced by scripture. He was known to cite verses and include gospel meanings in his speeches. Cromwell used Puritanism to lead his men and discipline his army. He believed that God was actively directing him and his army. He believed that his army was God’s instrument and that the king was an unlawful authority in the eyes of the Lord. In a letter to Oliver St John, he urges St John to read the book of Isaiah, particularly the eighth chapter. In the verse it was said that only the godly will remain standing while the kingdom falls.

The Commonwealth of England Oliver Cromwell established the Commonwealth of England shortly after the execution of Charles I. During this time, Cromwell tried to reunite a group known as the “Royal Independents.” He was closely associated with this group, but this broke out just before the war in 1642. He was, however, able to persuade St John into taking a seat in parliament. Meanwhile, the Royalists had regrouped to Ireland after they had signed a treaty with the Irish. Cromwell faced mutinies and rebellions during this time. He later left Bristol and stayed in Ireland for a while. The Lord Protector England saw the Rump Parliament dissolve and the establishment of the Barebones Parliament, which was set up by a preacher. John Lambert put together a new constitution which was known as Instrument of Government. During this time, Cromwell was named Lord Protector in a ceremony where he wore black, instead of monarchical regalia. He signed his name as “Oliver P,” the P standing for Protector. This was much like how monarchs used R for Regina. He was soon referred to as “Your Highness” and remained Lord Protector until his death in 1658.

Death In 1658, Oliver Cromwell announced that he wanted his son, Richard, to take his place as lord protector of the Commonwealth of England. He died later that year. His son did take his place, but not until the following year, 1659. However, government officials forced him to resign from his position. The restoration of the monarchy lead to necessary constitutional adjustments. Charles II was released from exile and was invited back to be king of the new monarchy. Cromwell’s remains were removed from Westminster Abbey then chained and hanged at Tyburn. His head was said to be put on display at the top of a pole of Westminster Hall. It remained there for twenty five years. Leave a Reply Oliver Cromwell - Timeline - History's HEROES from E2BN Oliver Cromwell - Timeline See the key facts • 1599 April 25th - Oliver Cromwell is born in the Cambridgeshire town of Huntingdon to Robert and Elizabeth Cromwell (nee Steward). He is baptised four days later. • 1607 Oliver begins his education at Huntingdon Grammar School.

• 1616 Oliver enters Sidney Sussex College at Cambridge University, which has a strong Puritan ethos. • 1617 Oliver leaves Sidney Sussex College after the death of his father and therefore does not complete his studies. • 1618 It is possible that Oliver Cromwell attended Lincoln's Inn to train in law. However there is no record of him in the Inn's archives. • 1620 August 22nd - Oliver Cromwell marries Elizabeth Bourchier at St. Giles’s Church, Cripplegate, London. Her father is a wealthy leather merchant and landowner from Essex. The marriage brings Cromwell into contact with wealthy London merchants and great Puritan peers. • 1621 The Cromwell's first child is born - a son called Robert. • 1623 Around February - The Cromwell's second son, Oliver, is born. • 1624 Around July - The Cromwell's third child is born, a daughter called Bridget. • 1626 Around October - The Cromwell's fourth child, Richard, is born.

• 1627 King Charles I provokes unrest by trying to raise money for the war through a 'forced loan' - a tax levied without parliamentary consent. • 1628 Around January - The Cromwell's fifth child, Henry, is born. Oliver Cromwell becomes the Member of Parliament for Huntingdon in the parliament of 1628-1629. May 26th - Parliament adopts a Petition of Right, calling upon the king to acknowledge that he cannot levy taxes without parliament's consent, impose martial law on civilians or imprison them without due process. Oliver seeks treatment for depression from London doctor, Theodore de Mayerne. • 1629 January - Members of the House of Commons begin to voice their opposition when an MP has his goods confiscated for failing to pay tonnage and poundage. Many MPs viewed the confiscation as a breach of the Petition of Right. March - When Charles orders a parliamentary adjournment, members hold the Speaker, Sir John Finch, down in his chair to delay proceedings until resolutions against Catholicism and poundage and tonnage can be read out. Charles dissolves parliament the same day and imprisons eight parliamentary leaders.

Around June - The Cromwell's sixth child, Elizabeth, is born • 1630 Business failure means Cromwell has to sell up and move to St. Ives, where he makes an income as a working (yeoman) farmer. Oliver Cromwell undergoes a Puritan "conversion" experience, possibly linked to a mental breakdown. This changes his life and throughout the 1630s he becomes a "servant of God". • 1632 January - The Cromwell's seventh child, James, is born. He is baptised on the 7th January but he dies and is buried on the 8th January. • 1633 The king appoints William Laud as Archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop's love of ceremony and adornment runs counter to the beliefs of many Puritans. • 1634 Laud authorises visits to every diocese throughout the kingdom to enforce conformity and to correct ‘irregularities’ in the conduct of services. These are regarded as dangerously close to Roman Catholicism. The visits continue until 1637. King Charles issues a writ to collect ‘ship-money’ tax, under the pretext of piracy and unrest in Europe.

He has made a secret treaty with Philip IV of Spain to help against the Dutch, a policy he knows will be detested by the country and, because of this, needs money. • 1635 Ship-money is enforced inland as well as in maritime counties/towns and is obtained by assessment of personal as well as real property (e.g. land/houses) and payment is to be enforced by distress (taking goods if people have no money). This provokes increasing resistance. • 1636 The Cromwell family move to Ely when Oliver inherits property there from his uncle, as well as his uncle's job as tithe collector for Ely Cathedral. This provides him with modest prosperity and a substantial house near the Cathedral. • 1637 May - The Cromwell's eighth child, Mary, is born. The king tries to enforce the Book of Common Prayer in Scotland, leading to opposition in the National Covenant (Presbyterian movement). Scotland is left in a state of turmoil. • 1638 Around December - The Cromwell's ninth child, Frances, is born.

• 1639 Robert, the Cromwell's oldest son, dies in his late teens, possibly of smallpox, while serving in a garrison at Newport Pagnell. Summer - Despite problems in raising funds, Charles gathers a poorly trained English force and the Bishops' Wars with Scotland begin. • 1640 King Charles I summons parliament (known as the Short Parliament), bringing to an end his 11-year Personal Rule. Cromwell returns to parliament as Member for Cambridge. He moves his family from Ely to London. May 5th - The king dissolves the Short Parliament when MPs refuse to grant him subsidies for war against Scotland; it had lasted for only three weeks. October 25th - The Treaty of Ripon ends the Bishops' Wars. November 3rd - Nearly bankrupt, King Charles summons the Long Parliament. Parliament impeaches the Earl of Stafford, leader of the Bishops' War (November 11th), declares the ship tax illegal (December 7th) and impeaches Archbishop Laud (December 18th).

• 1641 February 16th - The Triennial Act is passed, guaranteeing that parliament will be called at least once every three years. Oliver Cromwell puts forward the second reading of the Annual Parliaments Bill, and drafts the Root and Branch Bill for the abolition of the bishops. The House of Commons draws up the Protestation Oath against popery. May 5th - The king reluctantly assents to the Act of Attainder against the Earl of Strafford, who is executed on May 12th. July 5th - Parliament abolishes the Courts of High Commission, the Star Chamber, the Council of Wales and the North, and the powers of the Privy Council are suppressed. September 1st - The House of Commons passes a resolution for the destruction of altar rails, crucifixes and other 'innovations' introduced by Archbishop Laud. The news of an uprising in Ireland reaches parliament in London. The king and parliament agree that an army is needed to suppress the rebellion, but neither side trust the other with control of the armed forces.

November 22nd - The Grand Remonstrance, listing all the grievances about acts carried out by the king's government, in Church and State, since the beginning of Charles' reign, and parliament's measures to counter these, is passed by parliament after a stormy debate. December 1st - The Grand Remonstrance is presented to King Charles. December 7th - A parliamentary Militia Bill proposes the appointment of a lord-general to raise and command the militia and that parliament rather than the king should have the right to nominate the commanders of the armed forces, in the wake of the Irish uprising. King Charles refuses to surrender his control of the armed forces by giving his assent to the Militia Bill, so it is unable to pass into law. • 1642 The king fails in his attempt to arrest the Five Members regarded as his leading opponents in parliament. Popular support for parliament forces the king and Royal family to leave London on January 10th and in March they set up court in York.

March - Parliament issues the Militia Bill as an ordinance (legislation that has not received the Royal assent) and takes the unprecedented step of proclaiming that parliament could act independently of the king in the interests of the nation's defence. The king issues the Commissions of Array (a medieval method of raising troops by which the king grants the lords-lieutenant of counties powers to raise emergency forces). Obeying the Militia Bill or the Commission of Array becomes an early test of allegiance. 1st June - The Nineteen Propositions are passed by parliament and sent to the king in York. The proposals require the king to give up control of the militia and the right to appoint ministers. June 18th - The king rejects the Nineteen propositions. He declares that parliament's proposals threaten the ancient constitution of the kingdom. Both sides openly prepare for war. Summer - Oliver Cromwell gathers a volunteer force and prevents the movement of a convoy planning to take silver plate from the Cambridge colleges to swell the king's war-chest at York. August 22nd - After some early skirmishes, the English Civil War officially begins when King Charles raises the royal standard at Nottingham Castle. King and parliament are now at war.

September - Cromwell is commissioned as a Captain of Horse; he raises a cavalry troop for parliament, recruited from around Cambridgeshire. October 23rd - Cromwell and his men fight in the Battle of Edgehill. The battle ends without either side having the upper hand. • 1643 By the spring of 1643, Oliver Cromwell is promoted to Colonel of Horse and, by the autumn, he is elevated to the status of Lieutenant General of Horse in the army of the Eastern Association, and he is made governor of Ely. • 1644 The Cromwell's second son, Oliver, dies. 2nd July - Cromwell's actions help the Parliamentarians to victory at Marston Moor, just outside York. Although they win the battle, King Charles' forces are not destroyed. A better-trained army is required. 27th October - Cromwell takes part in the Second Battle of Newbury fought at Speen, adjoining Newbury in Berkshire. The combined armies of parliament inflict a tactical defeat on the Royalists but fail to gain any strategic advantage.

Oliver Cromwell presents his complaints against the leadership of the Earl by Manchester and The Earl of Essex in the House of Commons, for not fighting the war forcefully enough. Both are Presbyterian Members of the House of Lords. • 1645 February - Independent MPs push for an ordinance for the reorganisation of the Parliamentarian Army. The New Model Army is created by parliament. It is a professional, trained, military unit. April - The Self-Denying Ordinance sees the three major Parliamentarian armies amalgamated. Commander-in-chief of the New Model Army is General Fairfax. Oliver Cromwell, as Lieutenant-General, is put in charge of the cavalry, under a temporary contract. 14th June - Cromwell leads a cavalry wing, successfully, at the decisive Battle of Naseby. The New Model Army inflicts a crushing defeat on the king's army. • 1646 June 15th - Bridget Cromwell, Oliver Cromwell's daughter, marries Henry Ireton, senior Parliamentarian officer and close confidant of Oliver, at Cromwell's headquarters at Holton, a few days before the surrender of Oxford.

June 24th - The surrender of Oxford by the Royalists sees the end of the first Civil War, after the New Model Army besiege the city. • 1647 January 30th - The Scots hand over Charles to the Parliamentarians and withdraw from England. He is held as a prisoner at Holmby House in Northamptonshire, where he continues to plot for the restoration of his power. Cromwell becomes ill and is unable to take part in any military and political events for more than a month. June 3rd - Cornet George Joyce takes a detachment of cavalry to Holmby House and seizes control of Charles. The New Model Army (mostly independents) are angry that parliament agreed to Charles I's proposal for a three year trial of Presbyterian Church governance. Parliament begins raising new troops in London - excluding anyone with Independent sympathies. August 7th - The New Model Army marches into London and reinstalls the Independent MPs. Cromwell supports the New Model Army in clashes with parliament. August 20th - Cromwell stations a cavalry regiment at Hyde Park and marches under armed escort to take his seat in the House of Commons. This display of force coerces many Presbyterian MPs into withdrawing from parliament.

October – The Putney Debates, a series of discussions between Cromwell, Ireton, factions of the New Model Army and the Levellers (a civilian organisation that supports universal male suffrage (right to vote) and rule by parliament) begin, concerning a new constitution. Early November - Five of the most radical cavalry regiments elect new Agitators — known as the 'New Agents' — to represent their views. November 8th - Cromwell temporarily suspends the meeting of the Army Council. The representative members are ordered back to their regiments. A new manifesto is drawn up, leading to the eventual suppression of the radical elements. November 11th - Charles flees to the Isle of Wight. He reaches a secret agreement with the Scots to invade England and restore the throne, in return for introducing Presbyterianism, thus starting the second Civil War. • 1648 January 17th - Charles completely rejects parliament's suggestions for a peace settlement. Parliament passes the Vote of No Addresses, breaking off any communications with the king. January–April - Poor weather, high wheat prices and heavy taxation cause widespread hardship. Areas that have always supported parliament become discontented at the costs of maintaining the Army.

There are revolts in Kent, Essex and Wales. May - August - Contingents of the New Model Army under Cromwell and Fairfax are tied down at the sieges of Pembroke and Colchester. Cromwell crushes the Royalist rising in South Wales. July - The Scots invade England. They are held up by Major-General John Lambert until Oliver Cromwell, having forced the Welsh rebels to surrender, can march northwards. 18th August - Cromwell leads the Parliamentarian forces in the Battle of Preston and then Winwick Pass the next day. The destruction of the Scottish Royalist's Engagers Army sees the effective end of the Second Civil War. 28th August - Colchester surrenders to Fairfax, quickly followed by other Royalist outposts in the south. The second Civil War is over. September - Parliament fails to negotiate a settlement with the king. In December it decides to continue negotiations. Cromwell and Ireton lose all trust in Charles. December 6th - Colonel Thomas Pride and a troop of soldiers prevent Presbyterian MPs from sitting in parliament, probably on Cromwell's orders. 45 MPs are temporarily imprisoned. Those remaining are known as the Rump Parliament.

• 1649 January 1st - The House of Commons proposes the establishment of a High Court of Justice to try King Charles I. The House of Lords refuses to approve the measure, and the House of Commons abolishes it, assuming full legistlative powers. January 20th - The High Court of Justice, appointed by the Commons, assembles and the trial of Charles for high treason and "other high crimes" begins. Charles refuses to enter a plea, claiming that no court has jurisdiction over a monarch. January 27th - King Charles I is found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. 59 Members of Parliament sign his death warrant, including Oliver Cromwell. January 30th - King Charles I is beheaded. The execution takes place at Whitehall on a scaffold in front of the Banqueting House. England becomes a Republic. On 18th May 1639 and Act was passed declaring England to be a Commonwealth. governed by a council of state appointed by Parliament. The Scots and Irish overwhelmingly proclaim their intention to assist Charles II to secure all his thrones.

August - Cromwell commands an army sent to crush the opposition in Ireland, which centred on the Confederate-Royalist Alliance. At the Siege of Drogheda in September, and of Wexford in October, Cromwell's troops massacre the Royalist garrisons as well as civilians, following their capture of the towns. • 1650 July - Cromwell takes the New Model Army to Scotland after the Scots proclaim Charles I's son to be King Charles II. 3rd September - Cromwell completely defeats the Scottish army at Dunbar and enters Edinburgh, the Scottish capital. • 1651 Cromwell becomes Chancellor of Oxford University. 3rd September - Battle of Worcester. The Scottish army slips south whilst Cromwell is busy in Scotland. Cromwell follows them and destroys the Scots, led by Charles II, at the Battle of Worcester, the final battle of the Civil Wars. Charles flees to exile in Holland. • 1652 The First Anglo–Dutch War begins. It is fought entirely at sea between the navies of the Commonwealth of England and the United Provinces of the Netherlands. It is caused by disputes over trade.

• 1653 April 20th - Oliver Cromwell's success in war has made him the most powerful man in England. Angered by parliament's obstructive attitude, he marches into parliament and forcibly dissolves it. July 4th - Cromwell replaces the Rump Parliament with a parliament whose members are appointed by Church congregations. This is known as the Barebones Parliament. December 12th - Quarrels in the Barebones Parliament lead General John Lambert and other army officers to dissolve it. Believing that sovereignty should be placed in "a single person and a parliament", he presents a new constitution, the 'Instrument of Government'. 16th December - Oliver Cromwell reluctantly becomes Lord Protector. He now heads a powerful executive council defined by a new paper constitution. • 1654 The Anglo-Dutch War ends with the English Navy gaining control of the seas around England, and an English monopoly on trade with England and English colonies. Cromwell's mother dies in London. September - Cromwell meets with the first Protectorate Parliament. • 1655 May - The English capture Jamaica in the face of prolonged resistance. Over the next few years the Spanish fail in their attempts to retake the island.

October - Cromwell dissolves the Protectorate Parliament and appoints major generals to govern different areas of the country. The rule of the major-generals proves very unpopular, and this experiment ends two years later. October - War with Spain is openly declared. The war is caused by commercial rivalry. The English form an informal alliance with the French. This also has the benefit of keeping the French from helping the Stuarts to regain the English throne. • 1656 Oliver Cromwell | eHISTORY Oliver Cromwell General, Statesman Oliver Cromwell was born to Robert and Elizabeth Cromwell in Huntingdon, England, on January 30, 1599. The second born of 10 children, Oliver’s beginnings were humble and obscure, leading to the existence of minimal documentation on his early life. Cromwell gained a basic education from a Huntingdon grammar school that was joined to the Hospital of St. John, after which he attended Sidney Sussex College in Cambridge. During this time he earned a modest living off of the rents of the tenants of his owned land.

His Father’s death in June of 1617 ended his time at the university, and he returned home to care for his sisters and mother, as well as govern his family’s estate. Cromwell married Elizabeth Bourchier, the daughter of London merchant Sir James Bourchier, in August of 1620. Cromwell was elected as a Member of Parliament for Huntingdon in 1628, and rapidly became viewed as no friend of King Charles. Cromwell, after his first service to parliament, fell into depression, and suffered from some unknown illness, which resulted in him having a, “spiritual awakening”, which resulted in an extreme and uncompromising Puritan belief system. With his income and fortunes dropping rapidly, he sold a fair portion of his land in and around Huntingdon, and prompted him and his family to move to the Cambridge town of St. Ives in 1631, where he became a farmer on leased land. Cromwell worked here in such a manner for five years when his maternal, and heirless, uncle died, leaving Oliver a large inheritance in another Cambridge town, Ely, in 1636.

With his improvement in hierarchical society, Cromwell was elected to Parliament twice in 1640. Cromwell did not become a nationally recognized political and military leader until the mid-1640s. The First English Civil War began in August 1642, and Oliver Cromwell joined the war effort of the parliamentary army, leading an early military engagement in the conflict. He compiled a small force of horsemen, secured Cambridge for Parliamentary forces, and then joined the Earl of Sussex at the Battle of Edgehill. Cromwell distinguished himself in battles around Gainsborough in July of 1643. He was then given the rank of Colonel in the Eastern Association army, and made governor of Ely. In 1644 he became a Lieutenant General in the Eastern Association Cavalry, and was instrumental in a Parliament victory at Marston Moor, where his actions earned him the nickname “Ironside”. 1645 saw him placed under Sir Thomas Fairfax as second in command of the new army, and deciding the outcome of the battle of Naseby, which effectively ended the first Civil War. In 1648, the second English Civil War commenced, and Cromwell returned to the battlefield.

He began a campaign by ending an uprising of Royalists in South Wales, and then annihilated the Scottish Army at the battle of Preston. After his campaign in the North, Cromwell returned to London and he, along with 58 others, signed the orders for the execution of King Charles. After the King’s execution, a Council of State was instituted in place of a monarchy. This council ordered Cromwell to take Ireland in 1649, followed by Scotland in 1650. His actions led to his appointment to Lord General, the high commander of the parliamentary military. Cromwell led his armies into battle at Worcester, in September of 1651, and the resulting victory united England, Scotland, and Ireland, into the Commonwealth. December of 1653 saw Cromwell appointed Lord Protector, the administrator of government and chief magistrate of the Commonwealth. He was offered the crown at one point by parliament, but declined the offer. A constitution decreed that if he wished to call or dissolve a parliament, he must receive a majority vote from the Council of State. This check on power led to the ruling that a monarch of England, without parliament’s approval, cannot govern.

After serving as the Lord Protector of England for five years, Oliver Cromwell died as a result of a urinary infection on September 3, 1658. He was buried in Westminster Abbey. In 1660, after the protectorate was overthrown due to lack of leadership, an English monarchy was reestablished with Charles II being named King. In 1661, Cromwell’s body was exhumed from Westminster, tried for treason, and executed, despite already being dead. The corpse was beheaded, and the head was displayed upon spikes atop Westminster hall. In 1685, the spike supporting Cromwell’s head broke, sending it to the ground. It was recovered and hidden by a soldier, who passed it on to his daughter. It changed ownership many times, appearing in many spectacles, shows, and exhibitions, before finally being purchased by a Dr. Wilkinson in 1960, and given to Sydney Sussex College, where it was given a burial at an undisclosed location on college property. (Written by Benjamin G.

Harvey) The Oliver Cromwell website Welcome to the Oliver Cromwell Website Oliver Cromwell was born in Huntingdon on April 25th 1599. Since his death as Lord Protector in 1658 his life, ambitions, motives and actions have been the subject of scholarly investigation and intense, often vitriolic, debate. Whatever position is taken on Cromwell, "Chief of Men" or "Brave Bad Man", his importance as a key figure in one of the most troubled periods of British history is unassailable. Oliver Cromwell's House About Oliver Cromwell The Man Himself Oliver Cromwell – a name that still divides opinions more than three hundred years after his death. But who was he and why is he so important to British history? From the point of view of a Parliamentary Soldier he was one of the greatest military leaders we have ever had. Without him, Parliament would not have won the Civil War. However, from the viewpoint of a Cavalier, he was seen as a traitor, as he ordered the King to be beheaded. A Puritan Gentlemen on the other hand would describe him as a Godly man who ruled this country justly.

Such people believed he brought stability back after the war so that we could all live in tolerance and peace. Oliver Cromwell was born in nearby Huntingdon on April 25th 1599. He was born into what had been one of the wealthiest families in Huntingdonshire but was of a junior branch and although he was a gentleman, he was not a rich one. His father died in 1617 and Oliver had to leave Sidney Sussex College at Cambridge to look after the estate, his widowed mother and then his wife Elizabeth and ultimately their nine children. Financially it was a struggle but Oliver’s fortunes changed when he was left leases on various properties in Ely by his uncle; this included the lease on the house in Ely, where Oliver moved to with his family in 1636 and remained for just over ten years. The lease carried with it the responsibility of collecting the local taxes. Everything changed for Oliver Cromwell when he was in his early 40s. King Charles I began to make changes to the church in England that were unacceptable to men like Oliver.

During his 20s or 30s, Cromwell had experienced a religious conversion and for the remainder of his life he was a zealous Protestant. He believed that God had chosen him for a purpose which would at some point be revealed to him. The changes that the King started to make to the Church were against Cromwell’s beliefs and he was convinced that God’s purpose for him was to prevent them. He criticised the King in Parliament, his passionate and often angry speeches, driven by his religious zeal. When war broke out between King and Parliament in 1642, Oliver Cromwell was one of the first MPs to take up arms and fight.

A World Turned Upside Down A Civil War broke out in England in August 1642.� On one side stood King Charles I, and those who supported his rule.� On the other, the men who had come to see him as a tyrant.� Those who took arms against the king included some of the aristocracy as well as small landholders and businessmen from the richest parts of the country, London, the ports, and the cloth and clothing areas of East Anglia, Yorkshire, Lancashire and the southwest.� Men like Oliver Cromwell.� The conflict spread to Scotland, Ireland and Wales and lasted nearly nine years.� Families and friends found themselves on opposite sides but were prepared to fight each other to the death. � Religion also played a part in the collapse of the country into war.� England had become a Protestant country under King Henry VIII but there were some, the Puritans, who thought that the reform of the church had not gone far enough.�� There was a great fear that England would become a Catholic country again and those that feared this most eventually fought against the king.

Cromwell goes to War In the summer of 1642, the relationship between the king and Parliament had broken down irretrievably, but war had not yet been declared.� Both sides were trying to win support and raise troops but Oliver Cromwell was one of a very small minority who were prepared to take action.� He left London and went straight to his constituency in Cambridge.� There with a band of supporters, he prevented the Colleges of Cambridge from sending their hoard of silver up to York to help pay for the king�s army.� Cromwell also made sure that none of the weapons in the city left either.� � King Charles raised his standard on August 22nd, declaring war.� Oliver Cromwell was made a captain and spent the autumn raising a troop of about sixty horsemen from the Ely area..

With these men he held Cambridge for Parliament and then in October they joined the main army of Parliament under the leadership of the Earl of Essex.� � In 1643, Cromwell was made a colonel and put at the head of a cavalry regiment within the Eastern Association, Parliament�s army in East Anglia.� For the next year, Cromwell was engaged in almost continuous military service and was hardly ever at home here in Ely. �During this time he covered 2,000 miles, taking part in battles and confrontations with the king�s supporters. After the Battle of Marston Moor, a victory for Parliament, Cromwell declared,���...

truly England and the church of god hath had a great favour from the lord, in this great victory given us.� � In 1645 when a new national army, The New Model Army was created, Oliver Cromwell was made second in command.� He went on to lead his army to victory and the forces of the king to a complete and unconditional defeat.� In these few short years, Oliver Cromwell, rose from being a country gentleman and member of parliament with no military experience to being one of the greatest soldiers of his age.� "The Crown, Toppled" King Charles I was beheaded on January 30th 1649. He was walked through his own Palace of Whitehall in London and out of a window onto a scaffold that was built in the street. His last words were, “ I go from a corruptible, to an incorruptible Crown; where no disturbance can be, no disturbance in the World.” After Charles' execution, Parliament had tried to rule the county alone but many believed it was a disaster and wanted a king again, a system that had worked for hundreds of years.

Cromwell was offered the crown and he turned it down, however, on December 16th 1657 he agreed to become Lord Protector and reigned as a "King in all but name". This is the first time since the Battle of Hastings and the coronation of William the Conquerer, that England had no monarch. Oliver Cromwell, as Lord Protector was a king in all but name. He lived at Whitehall Palace and Hampton Court Palace and was called Your Highness. Only twenty years before he had been a struggling farmer in this house and now he was Head of State. History has judged Cromwell and feelings are divided. Death Oliver Cromwell died in the Palace of Whitehall in London on 3rd�September 1658, just short of his 60th�birthday.� He died from a fever, which many now think was malaria, caught a decade before when he fought in Ireland.

� He was given a royal funeral and buried in the Chapel of Kings in Westminster Abbey in London.� But two years later, when Charles II was restored to the throne, he sought revenge for his father�s execution.� The men who had signed Charles I�s death warrant were hunted down and executed.� Cromwell, although already dead, did not escape.� His corpse was dug up and then hanged and beheaded.� His body was thrown into a pit and his head stuck on a pike for all to see.� It is not certain what happened to the head but it is said that one night during a storm it was blown down and picked up by a soldier and later was passed into many different hands.� In 1960, a skull, said to be that of Oliver Cromwell was given to his old Cambridge College, Sydney Sussex, where it was buried in secret.

More information The Cromwell Museum, Huntingdon - A museum dedicated to Oliver Cromwell and his legacy, in his home town and based in his former Grammar School The Cromwell Association - An organisation focused on promoting Oliver Cromwell and his legacy Hinchingbrooke House, Huntingdon - The Ancestral seat of the Cromwell family, the last Cromwell to own it being Oliver's Uncle, Oliver. Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge - The College in Cambridge that Oliver Cromwell attended and where his head is buried. Ramsey Abbey - Part of the Cromwell Family lands

Question: In which town was Oliver Cromwell born, in 1599?
Answer: Huntingdon