Oliver Cromwell is – and has always been – one of the most controversial characters in British and Irish history. There are few people in Great Britain and Ireland today who have not yet heard of Oliver Cromwell and either loathe him or see him as a hero. Yet, the world is not black and white and so is the truth about Cromwell. In order to understand his role in both countries as a whole, one has to look at the perspective of both nations, Cromwell’s beliefs and his motives.
Oliver Cromwell’s religious belief was one of the most important influences on his doings and shaped his way of thinking immensely. Cromwell was a highly religious man and member of Puritans. Basically, the word “Puritan” means that its followers had a pure soul and lived a good and hardworking life according to what was written in the bible. Cromwell was of the opinion that everybody else in England should share his beliefs and follow his example.
Cromwell lived during a time of great political changes in Great Britain. He was one of the men that pushed forward the execution of King Charles I., because in his opinion he was not a good leader for the people and would never change his ways. After the death of the king, Parliament ran England - but still, in Cromwell’s point of view this system did not work effectively. He saw that the people in England were suffering and therefore he rose to become Protector of the Commonwealth. In spite of disagreements with Parliament, Cromwell brought peace and prosperity to England, which was one of the greatest benefits he earned for his country. He was even offered the crown in 1657 but rejected it.
As mentioned above, Cromwell’s reign in England was immensely shaped by his religious beliefs and numerous of his reform...
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... left a dark stain on the history of Ireland. By some, Oliver Cromwell may be seen as a man who brought along great changes to Great Britain. But for many, he will always be a villain and a slayer. Cromwell gave birth to death, exile, persecution, slavery, but also to a political turn and religious tolerance. Above all, his actions lead to major differences in opinions and to discussions.
Works Cited
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/cromwell_england.htm http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon48.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/cromwell_oliver.shtml http://www.irish-society.org/home/hedgemaster-archives-2/people/cromwell-oliver-tyranny-of-1649 http://bcw-project.org/military/third-civil-war/cromwell-in-ireland/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/cromwell_01.shtml
http://historysheroes.e2bn.org/hero/achievements/3
Oliver Cromwell was a well known military dictator. He helped the Parliamentarians win the First Civil War and was named Lord Protector. He died in 1658 but many people still remember him as one of the best leaders in history although others believe he was a harsh tyrant and always wanted too much power for himself. Throughout the years, numerous historians have changed their views on whether he was a good leader or not. This work will look at three interpretations from different people on who Cromwell was and what he was like and compare them.
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The eventual breakdown of severing relations between Charles I and Parliament gave way to a brutal and bloody English Civil War. However, the extent that Parliament was to blame for the collapse of cooperation between them and ultimately war, was arguably only to a moderate extent. This is because Parliament merely acted in defiance of King Charles I’s harsh personal rule, by implementing controlling legislation, attacking his ruthless advisors and encouraging public opinion against him. These actions however only proceeded Charles I’s personal abuse of his power, which first and foremost exacerbated public opinion against his rule. This was worsened
8.Puritans— ‘Followers' of Puritanism, a movement for reform in the Church of England that had a profound influence on the social, political, ethical, and theological ideas in England and America. In America the early New England settlements were Puritan in origin and theocratic in nature. The spirit of Puritanism long persisted there, and the idea of congregational democratic government was carried into the political life of the state as one source of modern democracy.
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...h the freedom to choose religion), and the Presbyterians (who wanted a strict Calvinist system controlled by a strong central power). The Independents dominated the war with their New Model Army, and became an unstoppable force in England. They were led by the influential and militant Oliver Cromwell (whose nickname became "Lord Protector")of the House of Commons, and captured Charles, removed the House of Lords and the Presbyterians from Parliament, and executed the "holy anointed."
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