Oliver Cromwell is one of the most famous figures of the British state. Gained fame for 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 lineage can be traced back to the reign of Henry VIII. It was during that period that the clan was able to make a fortune by confiscating the lands of the church, and, presumably, to receive a high title. One generation of Cromwells were close to the king, and Thomas Cromwell even served as Henry's adviser for 8 years.
In the center of the county - the town of the same name Huntingdon - Oliver received his primary education. The family adhered strictly to the puritan "spirit". Therefore, Cromwell continued his further education at Sydney Sussex College, which was known for its Protestant traditions and Calvinism, which are so inherent in Puritanism. Oliver did not like studying law, and soon he dropped out. At the insistence of his family, he married the daughter of a small landowner.
The beginning of the civil war
At the beginning of the 17th century, dissatisfaction with the central government grew in Britain. The absolute monarchy of King Charles I was unable to carry out the necessary reforms. The monarch, relying on the Anglican Church, significantly reduced the influence of Parliament. This helped him restore the old system of taxation and administration of the country. Such transformations caused indignation among the people, which served as a pretext for an uprising.
Puritanism was represented in Parliament by several parties, most of which were moderate supporters of the preservation of church power. But part of the Puritans created the Roundhead Party, a radical Protestant organization whose goal was to overthrow the monarch through revolution. It was headed by Oliver Cromwell.
Ironside 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 had powerful cavalry, which gave it a huge advantage. The army of Parliament consisted of militia units, which for the first time took up arms. It was then that Cromwell decided to create a detachment of cavalry that was able to repulse the royal cavalry.
Oliver himself was not in the military and did not receive training, but years of landowning gave him an idea about horses. At the beginning of the war, he became the captain of a cavalry detachment of fifty people. He taught them to attack in line and attack from the flank. During the battle, Cromwell's cavalry kept side by side andattacked in one piece, while the royal cavalry, consisting of people of the upper class, attacked at random. Innovations very quickly yielded results, and Oliver Cromwell became the commander of the famous Ironside Cavalry detachment.
The combat unit consisted of about 2 thousand fighters. All of them have been tested and rigorously selected. Every soldier was an ardent Protestant and Puritan. 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 effect. The local population admired the non-drinking fighters and en masse joined the army of parliamentarians. In the camps, the dependence of the hierarchy on origin was leveled. Therefore, the detachment was extremely close-knit and friendly. For courage and stamina on the battlefield, Cromwell's cavalry received the name "iron-flanked".
Take control of the North
By the middle of the summer of 1644, parliamentary troops were already besieging York, the main stronghold of royal (royalist) power in the North. Both sides understood the extreme strategic importance of the city, so they allocated their best forces to this area. 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 linked up with the rest of the royal army and marched on Marson Moor to defeat the Roundheads.
July 2, the parties lined up inbattle formations, waiting for battle. The famous "cavaliers", in the amount of 6 thousand, were opposed by a detachment of horsemen, led by Oliver Cromwell. The commander left a small platoon of Irish horsemen in reserve for a critical situation. The royalists approached Marson Moor with a force of 17,000. There were 10,000 more parliamentarians. But the outcome of the battle largely depended on the actions of the cavalry. Cromwell was on the right flank. He ordered his men not to disperse after the attack, but to act as one. Against Rupert's cavalry, he deployed spearmen with long spears, which hit the horsemen to a direct collision.
Fight at Marson Moor
At 5 p.m. artillery preparation had already begun. After 2 hours, the trumpets began to play, and Cromwell's detachment rushed to the attack. At full gallop, the armies clashed in a fierce battle. From the very first minutes, the royalists began to push the opponents. The qualitative superiority of the fighters had an effect. All of Rupert's horsemen were trained from childhood in the basics of military craft. Oliver Cromwell was wounded in action and withdrew to be dressed. At that moment, he gave the order to the reserve detachment to hit the flank of the "cavaliers". The maneuver paid off, the enemy f altered. And then Oliver's bet on the attack in close formation played out. Scattered over a large area, Rupert's horsemen were unable to link up to organize resistance, while the forces of the Parliamentarians had already reorganized and launched a new attack as a whole.
Results of the battle
Thanks to the successful actions of Cromwell's horsemen, by nightfall the royalists were completely defeated. 4 thousand fighters remained on the battlefield,over a thousand were taken prisoner. The army of parliamentarians lost only 300 soldiers.
The defeat of the royal troops at Marson Moor was the first significant victory for the rebels. The capture of York allowed the Parliamentarians to control the entire North. Cromwell's cavalry showed in practice the superiority of the new attack tactics in the ranks. Enraged Prince Rupert said that Oliver Cromwell, "probably iron-sided, since he could defeat us" (there is no official confirmation of the statement).
Oliver Cromwell: Lieutenant General of the Parliamentary Army
Cromwell's demonstrated skills as a commander made him the commander-in-chief of all combat units of Parliament. He immediately began the formation of an army of a new model, following the example of his "iron-sided" riders. In absolutist England, officer ranks were obtained depending on their hierarchy in society. In the new army, this rule was abolished. Leadership positions were occupied by people who demonstrated their skills in practice. This contributed to the cohesion and unity of the soldiers. Also, such transformations were approved by the people. Peasants and small landowners began to en masse join the parliamentarians.
New Model Army
Three irregular armies, which acted separately and reported directly only to field commanders, were transformed into one, numbering 22,000 people. Strict norms of discipline were introduced, for the violation of which various punishments were attributed. The morale of the soldiers was supported by the clergy. Some of them were present directly on the battlefields,wearing 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 for the needs of the army, declared their inability to continue support. The reorganization of the army has reduced financial costs. The new army of parliamentarians received its baptism of fire in the battle of Nesby, having won a landslide victory over the "cavaliers".
Cromwell's reign
After the final victory over the royalists, the parliamentarians were able to establish their power. The country was led by Oliver Cromwell. The Lord Protector (the title of Cromwell) 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. By refusing to accept the title of king, Cromwell effectively confirmed the republican status of England.
The taxation system has been revised. All main roads (especially goods routes) were completely controlled by the army. At this time, uprisings began in Scotland and Ireland. Cromwell personally led an army to suppress them. After restoring order, he restored the power of Parliament and the House of Lords. All supporters of the king were persecuted and repressed. The lords who had supported the royalists in the civil war had the property necessary for reforms confiscated. Such actions were well 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 chic. 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, Charles ordered to get the body of Cromwell, hang it, and then cut it into 4 parts. Since then, the peasants were forbidden even to pronounce the name "Oliver Cromwell". The lord's biography was censored for a long time.
Cromwell went down in history as a famous commander and reformer. During his reign, he was very popular with 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, they found the funeral mask in which Oliver Cromwell was buried. A photo of the find is presented below. He was finally buried only in 1960 in the chapel of one of the colleges in Cambridge.
If you approach the issue from a historical point of view, the years of the republic and the protectorate did not affect the fate of England, despite all the reforms that Oliver Cromwell introduced. A short biography of an outstanding Englishman is nevertheless included in the required curriculum of all historical universities in Britain.
