Oliver Cromwell is one of the most famous figures in the British state. He gained fame thanks to his military achievements and reforms.
Biography: Cromwell Oliver. Briefly: life before the war
Born in 1599 in Huntingdon County. The family of landowners was not rich by the standards of the English elite of that time. Oliver's pedigree can be traced back to the time of the reign of Henry VIII. It was during that period that the clan was able to make a fortune, confiscating the land of the church, and, presumably, get a high title. One generation of Cromwells was brought close to the king, and Thomas Cromwell even served as adviser to Henry for 8 years.
In the center of the county - the city of the same name Huntingdon - Oliver received primary education. The family strictly adhered to the Puritan "spirit." Therefore, Cromwell continued his further studies at Sydney Sussex College, which was known for its Protestant traditions and Calvinism, which are so characteristic of Puritanism. Oliver did not like law school, and he soon dropped out. At the insistence of his family, he took as his wife the daughter of a small landowner.
Civil war
At the beginning of the 17th century, discontent with central authority grew in Britain. The absolute monarchy of King Charles I was not able to carry out the necessary reforms. The monarch, relying on the Church of England, significantly reduced the influence of parliament. This helped him restore the old system of taxation and government. Such transformations provoked indignation among the people, which served as a reason for rebellion.
Supporters of Puritanism were represented in parliament by several parties, most of which were moderate supporters of the preservation of church authority. But part of the Puritans created the “round-headed” party - a radical Protestant organization whose goal was to overthrow the monarch through revolution. It was headed by Oliver Cromwell.
Iron side cavalry
The beginning of the civil war can be considered an unsuccessful attempt by the king to arrest five parliamentarians. After that, both sides began to gather troops. The royal army possessed powerful cavalry, which gave it a huge advantage. The army of the parliament consisted of militia units that first took up arms. It was then that Cromwell decided to create a detachment of horsemen, who was able to repel the royal cavalry.
Oliver himself was not military and did not undergo training, but the years of land ownership gave him an idea of horses. At the beginning of the war, he became the captain of a cavalry detachment of fifty people. He taught them attack in the ranks and attack from the flank. During the battle, Cromwell’s cavalry stayed side by side and attacked whole, while the royal cavalry, consisting of people of the upper class, attacked randomly. Innovations quickly yielded results, and Oliver Cromwell became the commander of the well-known detachment of the Iron Side Cavalry.
The combat unit totaled about 2 thousand fighters. All of them were tested and rigorous selection. Each soldier was an ardent Protestant and supporter of Puritanism. Oliver Cromwell categorically forbade drinking and gambling in the camp of the detachment entrusted to him. Exemplary behavior and strict discipline had a serious propaganda influence. The local population admired non-drinker fighters and massively joined the army of parliamentarians. In the camps, the dependence of the hierarchy on the origin was leveled. Therefore, the detachment was extremely united and friendly. For courage and endurance on the battlefield, Cromwell’s horsemen received the name “iron-faced”.
Mastery of the North
By the middle of the summer of 1644, parliamentary forces were already besieging York, the main stronghold of the royal (royalist) power in the North. Both sides understood the extraordinary strategic importance of the city, so they allocated their best forces to this sector. King Charles sent his nephew Rupert to help the besieged, fearing the surrender of the city garrison. Sudden reinforcements forced the army of parliamentarians to retreat. Encouraged by this success, Prince Rupert joined forces with the rest of the royal army and marched on Marson Moore to defeat the “round-headed” army.
July 2, the parties were built in battle formations, waiting for the battle. The famous "cavalry", in the amount of 6 thousand, was opposed by a detachment of horsemen, led by Oliver Cromwell. The commander left in reserve a small platoon of Irish horsemen for a critical situation. The royalists approached Marson Moore with 17,000 troops. There were 10 thousand more parliamentarians. But the outcome of the battle depended largely on the actions of the cavalry. Cromwell was located on the right flank. He ordered his people not to crumble after the attack, but to act as a whole. Against Rupert's cavalry, he set up spearmen with long spears that hit the riders before a direct collision.
Fight at Marson Moore
At 5 pm artillery preparation has already begun. After 2 hours, the trumpets began to play, and Cromwell's detachment rushed to the attack. Throughout the race, the armies clashed in a fierce battle. From the first minutes, the royalists began to crowd out opponents. Affected the quality superiority of the fighters. All Rupert's horsemen were trained in the basics of military craft from childhood. Oliver Cromwell was wounded in battle and moved away for dressing. At this moment, he ordered the reserve unit to strike the “cavalry” on the flank. The maneuver bore fruit, the enemy flinched. And here Oliver’s bet on an attack in tight formation played. Rupert's horsemen, scattered over a large area, could not unite to organize resistance, while the parliamentary forces had already reorganized and launched a new attack as a whole.
Battle results
Thanks to the successful actions of Cromwell's cavalry, by the night the royalists were completely defeated. 4 thousand fighters remained on the battlefield, more than a thousand were captured. The army of parliamentarians lost only 300 soldiers.
The defeat of the royal troops at Marson Moore was the first significant victory of the rebels. The capture of York allowed parliamentarians to control the entire North. Cromwell’s cavalry showed in practice the superiority of the new attack tactics in the ranks. The enraged Prince Rupert said that Oliver Cromwell, “probably an iron-faced one, was able to defeat us” (there is no official confirmation of the statement).
Oliver Cromwell: Lieutenant General of the Parliamentary Army
Cromwell's skills demonstrated by the commander made him commander in chief of all military units of parliament. He immediately began the formation of an army of a new model, following the example of his "iron-faced" riders. In absolutist England, officer ranks received depending on their hierarchy in society. In the new army, this rule was abolished. Leading posts were held by people who demonstrated their skills in practice. This contributed to the unity and unity of the soldiers. Also, such transformations were approved by the people. Peasants and small landowners began to join the parliamentarians en masse.
Army of the new model
Three irregular armies, which acted separately and were directly subordinate only to field commanders, were transformed into one, numbering 22 thousand people. Strict discipline standards were introduced, for the violation of which various punishments were attributed. The fighting spirit of the soldiers was maintained by the clergy. Some of them were present directly on the battlefields, clothed in black robes. Cromwell attached particular importance to the religious training of fighters in the spirit of Puritanism.
On the eve of the representatives of the eastern lands, which provided the needs of the army, declared inability to continue support. The reorganization of the army has reduced financial costs. The new army of parliamentarians received their baptism of fire in the battle of Nesby, having won a landslide victory over the "gentlemen".
Reign of cromwell
After the final victory over the royalists, parliamentarians were able to establish their power. The country was headed by Oliver Cromwell. The Lord Protector (Cromwell's title) established an authoritarian dictatorship and “iron” orders. He relied on the support of his combat associates, who after the end of the war occupied key leadership positions. These people were loyal to Cromwell and unconditionally carried out all his orders. Refusing to accept the title of king, Cromwell actually confirmed the republican status of England.
The tax system has been revised. All major roads (especially freight routes) were completely controlled by the army. At this time, uprisings began in Scotland and Ireland. Cromwell personally led the army to suppress them. After putting things in order, he restored the power of parliament and the House of Lords. All supporters of the king were persecuted and repressed. The lords who supported the royalists in the civil war seized property necessary for reform. Such actions were positively received by Calvinists and the common people.
Death and trace in history
Oliver Cromwell died on September 13, 1658. The reason was, presumably, poisoning (some historians believe that the Lord Protector died of malaria). The funeral of the "iron" Oliver was gorgeous. But after them, unrest began in the country. A wave of unrest and chaos swept across England. Parliament was forced to invite Charles II, the son of the executed king, to the throne. After the coronation, Carl ordered Cromwell's body to be taken out, hung, and then cut into 4 parts. Since then, peasants have been forbidden to even pronounce the name "Oliver Cromwell." The biography of the Lord has been censored for a long time.
Cromwell went down in history as a famous commander and reformer. During the reign, he enjoyed great popularity among the common people. His politics are a prime example of Calvinism and democracy. The reforms made by the Lord Protector were the first step towards the overthrow of feudalism. In the 20th century, a funeral mask was found in which Oliver Cromwell was buried. The photo of the find is presented below. He was finally buried only in 1960 in the chapel of a college in Cambridge.
If you approach the issue from a historical point of view, then the years of the republic and protectorate did not affect the further fate of England, despite all the reforms that Oliver Cromwell introduced. A brief biography of the outstanding Englishman is nevertheless included in the compulsory curriculum of the programs of all historical universities in Britain.