The Life of Oliver Cromwell - Research Paper Example

The Life of Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell was born on April 25, 1599 and baptized on the same day (Mobsters n.p). He comes from a long lineage of wealthy and prosperous Cromwell’s family. However, his father’s inheritance was limited to a little piece of the house, at Huntingdon, since his grandfather had a huge family. In his early years, he became more accommodative to protestant sects that existed during that time after he underwent a religious transformation. Cromwell was an intensely religious person who believed in God’s might and blessings. When he became more open to people, at the age of 40, he was baptized by the St. John’s church. He attended Huntingdon grammar school before joining Sidney’s Suxxes College, in Cambridge, but left in June 1617 without taking his degree (Mobsters n.p). It is also believed that he attended Lincoln’s Inn College, which had also graced his grandfather, two of his uncles and father. However, his records of attending this institution do not exist. Oliver had to move back home to assist his now widow mother and his seven unmarried sisters after his father passed away. Oliver was married to Elizabeth Bourchier, the daughter to Sir James Bourchier who prominent leather merchant and owned large pieces of land (Gardiner 9). Sir James also had strong connections with the gentry’s families and the London merchant community. This opened doors for him to venture into the field of military and politics respectively. Oliver and Elizabeth had nine children two of whom died in their tender ages (Gardiner 9). Political Career Cromwell became Cambridge’s Member of Parliament, in 1628. However, he did not make any significant development, during his tenure as a member of parliament. This is because his tenure did not last long when Charles I dissolved parliament and ruled alone for 11 years before the Bishops of the Scott forced him to recall parliament due to lack of money (Carlyle & Sanderson 67). Cromwell returned to parliament and served only for three weeks as a member of parliament for Cambridge. This was called “the short parliament” because it existed for only three weeks. A long-term parliament was elected that same year and Cromwell returned as a member for Cambridge. He was forced to table ridiculous petitions before the house such as that of the release of John Liburne, who was arrested for importing religious tracts from Holland, because he owed his position to the elite, in parliament (Carlyle & Sanderson 74). Cromwell also linked himself to a religious group, which contained members from both the House of Lords and House of Commons. On behalf of this religious group, he also tabled a motion for the abolition of episcopacy, which was called the “Root and Branch Bill” (Carlyle & Sanderson 76). Military Career The only experience Cromwell had in relation to military matters was the band training. However, he recruited his own cavalry troop and blocked a valuable silver shipment that was meant for the king. This was after his troop gained a lot of recognition and was formally incorporated into the formal army to form part of the Eastern Association during the winter (Gardiner 8). Cromwell continued to gain a lot of experience by winning a few battles such as the battle of Gainsborough, which made him appointed as the governor of Ely and colonel of the Eastern Association. He entered the English civil war on the side of the parliamentarians who were nicknamed the “Old Ironsides” or “Roundheads” to become one of the principle commanders, in the New Model Army (Britannica Concise Encyclopedia). Here, he played a significant role in the defeat of the royalist forces at the battle of Marston Moor. Cromwell’s military strategies though he had not undergone through any form of training were exemplary. His ability to train and lead his men and the invention of the close order military formation with his troops riding knee to knee made it more difficult for opponents to penetrate them (Carlyle & Sanderson 46). Battle of Naseby 1645 The new model army, especially the wing led by Cromwell, took the royalists by storm when they won two consecutive battles and conquered the western parts of England that were under the royalists (Gardiner 15). Cromwell was also accused of mini-genocide for allegedly killing 100-300 royalists in a garrison even after they had surrendered. This continued to accelerate Cromwell’s rise to prominence. King Tried and Executed Cromwell was one of the signatories of King Charles I's death warrant, in the year 1649. As a member of the Rump Parliament between 1649 and 1653, he dominated the short-lived Commonwealth of England. Between 1649 and 1650, Cromwell was also selected to head the English campaigns in Ireland, and this resulted into the defeat of the Confederate and Royalist coalition, in Ireland (Carlyle & Sanderson 83). This led to the permanent end of the Irish Confederate Wars. Majority Catholics, in Ireland, faced a hard time during this period because of the penal laws passed against them, and large tracts of their lands were confiscated. Between 1650 and 1651, Cromwell also led a campaign against the Scottish army. On April 20, 1653, he disbanded the Rump Parliament forcefully and set up an interim nominated assembly known as the Barebones Parliament. Death and Postmortem Execution Cromwell died in 1658 and buried in Westminster Abbey. However, when the royalists returned to power in 1660, they had his corpse exhumed, hung in chains, and beheaded as payment for all the pain he had caused them during his time as ruler (Gardiner 11). A hero to some and a villain to others, Oliver Cromwell’s contribution to the English history cannot be overlooked. Conclusion Oliver Cromwell was one of the founding fathers in the great English history. His rise from a simple son of commoner to one of the leaders that shaped the prodigious English history leaves something to be admired. We can also conclude that Cromwell is one of the earliest charismatic leaders to emerge; he lacked any formal military training yet he had a huge military following, which is proven by the manner the troops he led conquered all their battles. It is also evident that he was not only concerned with his political and religious life, but also a committed family man. Baptized on his birthday, Cromwell was also a religious man who put God first and attributed all his military winnings to God. He was also a member of the godly group of aristocrats, which had members in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and as a member, he tabled a bill that proposed the abolition of episcopacy. Work Cited Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2006. Print Top of Form Carlyle, Thomas, and Edgar . Sanderson. The Life of Oliver Cromwell: With a Selection from His Letters and Speeches. S.l: s.n., n.d.. Print. Top of Form Gardiner, Samuel R. Oliver Cromwell. Hamburg: Severus Verlag, 2013. Print. Mobsters. "Oliver Cromwell. Biography." Bio.True Story (2013): n. Internet Source Retrieved from: http://www.biography.com/people/oliver-cromwell-9261909 Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Read More