Oliver Cromwell
Who was he? What did people think about him at the time and now?
Introduction
Several generations have passed between his death and the present, but the controversiality that surrounded Oliver Cromwells during his life has lived on to this day. Some sees him as a bloodthirsty tyrant that would never cave for nothing standing in front of his goals. Others however think of him as an honest man who fought for what he thought was best for England.
In this paper we will review Oliver Cromwell's life and legacy along with an investigation of people's view on him, both past and present. The review will be divided in 4 parts. Religion, military, Ireland and a comprehensive biography
Biography.
Oliver Cromwell saw the day of
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Cromwell won easily over the Scotts and a rebellion in Wales as well. Cromwell's supporters managed to purge members of parliament who was a bit too hostile towards him while he was away from london. On Christmas Day 1649, Cromwell accepted that the King would be put on trial and was sentenced to death.
England was now a republic under the name Commonwealth with Cromwell as Chairman over the new governing body, Council of State. Although he would rarely be present in london during the years following the King's death. War took often place in Scotland and Ireland. Furthermore, the threat of undefeated royalist still remained. Many of them were so called levellers, people who strongly believed that the differences in wealth between the rich and poor should be much more balanced. These extremist were not by any means a majority, however they were making a lot of noise and caused mutiny in the
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He was raised in gentry household and shared many values with his peers. Although he took part in execution of the King, he never thought himself to be an enemy to the crown. Cromwell was even sympathetic to the Crown and thought it to be a part of England. It was not before Charles I had fled and gathered an army that he saw him as an enemy. Previously to that he had considered placing Prince James, Charles I son on the throne.
While he turned down the offer to be crowned in the spring of 1657, he would come to rule as if was a King. This caused dissatisfaction with the radicals within the parliament which wanted a republic and would openly complain. Cromwell would not however resign as Lord Protector. He had claimed that God had given his powers and was sure that England would end up in disorder and be attacked from overseas should he decide to give the power to the parliament. Just like with Charles I, the relation between him and the parliament grow worse with