Oliver Cromwell

Cromwell’s Early Years (1642). Born in 1599 Oliver Cromwell began his life working on a farm with his parents and sisters. He only had education from a local protestant school which hated Catholics and taught all their pupils to hate them too, because they did not share the same opinions as they did. Cromwell’s family were quite well off as he was paid for to go to colleague so he could go on to be a lawyer. But when Cromwell became 18 his father died and his mother and sisters became very sick. He couldn’t continue his studies because he selflessly decided to look after them. This was very heroic of him as he could have become sick too. He gave up a good future to cater for his family was probably an honest act in any-body’s opinion.

The Civil War (1642 – 1649). King Charles I needed more money to increase the quality of his army, to get more money he had to raise the taxes. But to raise the taxes he had to gain permission from his MP’s, parliament didn’t like the idea of this and did not approve of it. The king was furious and he decided to take this matter into his own hands, first of all he sent parliament home. He raised the taxes anyway and invented ship money, which was taxes for people who lived on ships around the land, but didn’t actually live on the land. Parliament disagreed with the kings decisions and this enraged the king even more. Until eventually he declared civil war.

Cromwell stood up to the king, which nobody had dared to do before. To some people Cromwell may have been quite villainous in fighting back, he could have possibly negotiated and come to terms with the king, but in this situation it looked like he had no other options. He fought the decisive fight at the battle of Naseby. He introduced a new style of fighting; strategies, paying and promoting hard fighting soldiers. He didn’t give people good ranks because they came from royalty. Cromwell was a good leader and believed God was on his side, and he was very tough with discipline towards his soldiers. As large as the king’s army was Cromwell claimed victory with his clever tactics and well-trained men. If he worked that hard to train his men and spent a lot of time thinking up tactics he must be a hero in some way or another.