Oliver Cromwell

His Highness Oliver Cromwell
Portrait by Samuel Cooper, 1656
Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland
In office 16 December 1653 – 3 September 1658
Preceded by	English Council of State
Succeeded by	Richard Cromwell
Member of Parliament for Cambridge
In office 29 February 1640 – 20 April 1653
Monarch	Charles I (until 30 January 1649)
Preceded by	Thomas Purchase
Member of Parliament for Huntingdon
In office 31 January 1628 – 3 March 1629
Monarch	Charles I
Preceded by	Arthur Mainwaring
Personal details
Born	25 April 1599 (1599-04-25) Huntingdon, Kingdom of England
Died	3 September 1658(1658-09-03) (aged 59) Westminster, Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland
Resting place	Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge (head)
Spouse	Elizabeth Bourchier ​ (m. 1620)​
Children	Robert Cromwell Oliver Cromwell Bridget Cromwell Richard Cromwell Henry Cromwell Elizabeth Cromwell James Cromwell Mary Cromwell Frances Cromwell
Parents	Robert Cromwell (father) Elizabeth Steward (mother)
Relatives	Cromwell family
Alma mater	Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Occupation	Soldier and statesman
Signature
Nicknames	Old Noll[1] Old Ironsides
Military service
Allegiance	Kingdom of England (pre-1642) Parliamentarian (1642–1651) Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland (1651–1658)
Branch/service	Militia (pre-1642) Eastern Association (1642–1645) New Model Army (1645–1653)
Years of service	Pre-1642 (militia service) 1642–1651 (civil war)
Rank	Colonel (1642 – bef. 1644) Lieutenant-General of Horse (bef. 1644 – 1645) Lieutenant-General of Cavalry (1645–1646)
Commands	Cambridgeshire Ironsides (1643 – bef. 1644) Eastern Association (bef. 1644 – 1645) New Model Army (1645–1653)
Battles/wars	Wars of the Three Kingdoms Gainsborough Marston Moor 2nd Newbury Naseby Langport Preston Siege of Drogheda Sack of Wexford First Siege of Waterford Dunbar Worcester First Anglo-Dutch War Anglo-Spanish War (1654–1660)

Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 – 3 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician, and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially as a senior commander in the Parliamentarian army and latterly as a politician. A leading advocate of the execution of Charles I in January 1649, which led to the establishment of the Commonwealth of England, he ruled as Lord Protector from December 1653 until his death in September 1658.

Although elected member of parliament for Huntingdon in 1628, much of Cromwell's life prior to 1640 was marked by failure. He briefly contemplated emigration to New England, but became a religious Independent in the 1630s and thereafter believed his successes were the result of divine providence. In 1640, Cromwell was returned as MP for Cambridge in the Short and Long Parliaments. He joined the Parliamentarian army when the First English Civil War began in August 1642 and quickly demonstrated his military abilities. In 1645, he was appointed commander of the New Model Army cavalry under Sir Thomas Fairfax, and played a key role in winning the English Civil War.

The death of Charles I and exile of his son, followed by military victories in Ireland and Scotland, firmly established the Commonwealth and Cromwell's dominance of the new regime. In December 1653, he was named Lord Protector,^[a] a position he retained until his death in September 1658, when he was succeeded by his son Richard, whose weakness led to a power vacuum. This culminated in the 1660 Stuart Restoration, after which Cromwell's body was removed from Westminster Abbey and displayed at Tyburn. His head was placed on a spike outside the Tower of London, where it remained for 30 years, and ultimately reburied at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, in 1960.

Winston Churchill described Cromwell as a military dictator,^[2] while others view him a hero of liberty. He remains a controversial figure due to his use of military force to acquire and retain political power, his role in the execution of Charles I and the brutality of his 1649 campaign in Ireland.^[3] The debate over his historical reputation continues. First proposed in 1856, his statue outside the Houses of Parliament was not erected until 1895, most of the funds being privately supplied by Prime Minister Lord Rosebery.^[4]

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