Oliver Cromwell


Oliver Cromwell
A 1656 Samuel Cooper portrait of Cromwell
Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland
In office
16 December 1653 – 3 September 1658
Preceded byCouncil of State
Succeeded byRichard Cromwell
Member of Parliament
for Cambridge
In office
1640–1649
MonarchCharles I
Member of Parliament
for Huntingdon
In office
1628–1629
MonarchCharles I
Personal details
Born25 April 1599
Huntingdon, Huntingdonshire, Kingdom of England
Died3 September 1658 (aged 59)
Palace of Whitehall, London, The Protectorate
Resting placeTyburn, London
NationalityEnglish
Spouse(s)
(m. 1620)
Children
Parents
  • Robert Cromwell (father)
  • Elizabeth Steward (mother)
Alma materSidney Sussex College, Cambridge
OccupationFarmer, parliamentarian, military commander
Signature
Military service
Nickname(s)Old Noll;[1] Old Ironsides
AllegianceRoundhead
Branch/serviceEastern Association (1643–1645); New Model Army (1645–1646)
Years of service1643–1651
RankColonel (1643 – bef. 1644); Lieutenant-General of Horse (bef. 1644–1645); Lieutenant-General of Cavalry (1645–1646)
CommandsCambridgeshire Ironsides (1643 – bef. 1644); Eastern Association (bef. 1644–1645); New Model Army (1645–1646)
Battles/warsEnglish Civil War (1642–1651):
Royal styles of
Oliver Cromwell,
Lord Protector of the Commonwealth
Reference styleHis Highness
Spoken styleYour Highness
Alternative styleSir

Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 – 3 September 1658) was an English military and political leader best known for making England a republic and leading the Commonwealth of England and primarily because of ethnic cleansing activities in Ireland euphemistically called as Cromwellian Genocide.

Cromwell's actions during his career seem confusing to us today. He supported Parliament against the King, yet he ordered his soldiers to break up parliament. Under his rule, the Protectorate said that people's religious beliefs should be respected, but people who went against what most people believed were sometimes tortured and imprisoned.

Cromwell was the first ruler of England to be a Puritan. He created a new model army. Many English people today think he was one of their greatest leaders.

  1. Dickens, Charles (1854). A Child's History of England volume 3. Bradbury and Evans. p. 239.

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