Oliver Cromwell: the biography of the commander. Historical results of Cromwell's protectorate

Oliver Cromwell is one of the most famous figures of the British state. Got famous for his military achievements and reforms.

Biography: Cromwell Oliver. Briefly: life before the war

Born in 1599 in the county of Huntingdon. The family of landlords was not rich by the standards of the English elite of that time. The genealogy of Oliver can be traced back to the time of the reign of Henry VIII. It was at that time that the family was able to put together a fortune, confiscating the land of the church, and, presumably, to get a high title. One generation of Cromwells was approached by the king, and Thomas Cromwell even served as Henry's counselor for 8 years.

In the center of the county - the homonymous town of Huntingdon - Oliver received his primary education. The family strictly adhered to the Puritan "spirit." Therefore, Cromwell continued his further education at Sydney College Sussex, who was known for his Protestant traditions and Calvinism, which are so characteristic of Puritanism. Thomas did not like teaching law, and soon he dropped out. At the insistence of relatives, he took as his wife a daughter of a small landowner.

The beginning of the Civil War

At the beginning of the 17th century, dissatisfaction with the central authority grew on the territory of 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 government. Such transformations caused resentment among the people, which was the reason for the uprising.

Supporters of Puritanism were represented in parliament by several parties, most of whom were moderate supporters of the preservation of ecclesiastical authority. But part of the Puritans created a party of "roundheads" - a radical Protestant organization whose goal was to overthrow the monarch through the revolution. It was headed by Oliver Cromwell.

Ironbeard Cavalry

The beginning of the civil war can be considered unsuccessful attempt of the king to arrest five parliamentarians. After that, both sides began to gather troops. The Royal Army had a powerful cavalry, which gave it a huge advantage. The army of the parliament consisted of militia detachments, who for the first time took up arms. It was then that Cromwell decided to create a detachment of cavalry, which was able to repel the Royal Cavalry.

Oliver himself was not a military man and did not pass training, but the years of landowners gave him an idea of horses. At the beginning of the war, he became captain of a mounted detachment of fifty men. He taught them to attack in the ranks and attack from the flank. During the battle, Cromwell's cavalry held side by side and attacked whole, while the royal cavalry, consisting of upper-class men, attacked at random. Innovations very quickly produced a result, and Oliver Cromwell became commander of a well-known squadron of the Ironbeard Cavalry.

The combat unit numbered about 2 thousand fighters. All of them were tested and rigorously selected. Each soldier was a zealous Protestant and a supporter of Puritanism. Oliver Cromwell categorically forbade drinking and gambling in the camp of the detachment entrusted to him. Approximate behavior and strict discipline had a serious propaganda effect. The local population admired the non-drunk fighters and massively joined the army of parliamentarians. The dependence of the hierarchy on origin was leveled in the camps. Therefore, the detachment was extremely united and friendly. For bravery and steadfastness on the battlefield Cromwell's equites were named "iron-bears".

Mastering the North

By mid-summer of 1644, the parliamentary forces were already holding the siege of York, the main stronghold of the royal (royalist) power in the North. Both sides understood the extreme strategic importance of the city, so they allocated their best forces to this site. 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 up with the rest of the Royal Army and marched on Marson-Moore, with the goal of destroying the "round-headed" army.

On 2 July, the parties built themselves in battle formations, awaiting battle. The famous "cavaliers", in the number of 6 thousand, opposed the troop of cavalry, which was headed by Oliver Cromwell. The commander left in reserve a small platoon of Irish riders for a critical situation. The Royalists approached Marson-Moore with a 17-thousand-strong army. Parliamentarians were 10 thousand more. But the outcome of the battle largely depended on the actions of the cavalry. Cromwell was located on the right flank. He ordered his people not to crumble after the attack, but act as a whole. Against Rupert's cavalry, he exposed spearmen with long spears that hit the riders before a direct collision.

The fight at Marson-Moore

At 5 pm the artillery preparation began. After 2 hours, the pipes began to play, and Cromwell's squad rushed into the attack. On the whole race, the armies collided in a fierce battle. From the first minutes the royalists began to press opponents. It turned out the qualitative superiority of the fighters. All the riders of Rupert had been taught the basics of military craft from childhood. Oliver Cromwell was wounded in battle and left for a bandage. At that moment he ordered the reserve detachment to strike the flank of the "cavaliers". Maneuver brought its fruit, the enemy trembled. And then Oliver's bet on the attack was dense. Sprayed on a large area riders Rupert could not connect to organize resistance, while the forces of parliamentarians have already been reorganized and a single whole started a new attack.

Results of the battle

Thanks to the successful actions of Cromwell's cavalry, by the night the Royalists were completely routed. On the battlefield were left to lie 4 thousand soldiers, more than a thousand were taken prisoner. The army of parliamentarians lost only 300 soldiers.

The rout of the royal troops at Marson-Moore was the first significant victory of the insurgents. The mastery of York allowed the parliamentarians to control the whole North. Cromwell's cavalry showed in practice the superiority of the new attack tactics in the ranks. The furious prince Rupert said that Oliver Cromwell, "probably iron-bellied, once could defeat us" (there is no official confirmation of the statement).

Oliver Cromwell: Lieutenant-General of the Parliamentary Army

Demonstrated Cromwell skills commander made him commander in chief of all militant groups of Parliament. He immediately began forming the army of the new model, following the example of his "iron-horned" riders. In absolutist England, officers earned their titles depending on their hierarchy in society. In the new army, this rule was abolished. Leading positions were occupied by people who demonstrated their skills in practice. This contributed to the unity and unity of the soldiers. Also such changes were approved by the people. The peasants and small landowners began to join the parliamentarians massively.

The army of the new model

Three irregular armies, which acted separately and submitted directly to field commanders, were transformed into one, numbering 22,000 people. Strict norms of discipline were introduced, for violation of which various penalties were attributed. The fighting spirit of the soldiers was supported by priests. Some of them were present directly on the battlefields, dressed in black robes. Cromwell attached special 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 the inability to continue support. The reorganization of the army made it possible to reduce financial expenses. The new army of parliamentarians received their baptism of fire in battle at Nesby, having won a confident victory over the "cavaliers".

Cromwell's Board

After the final victory over the royalists, parliamentarians were able to establish their authority. 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 comrades-in-arms 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 take the title of king, Cromwell actually confirmed the republican status of England.

The taxation system was revised. All major roads (especially the goods ways) were completely controlled by the army. At this time rebellions began in Scotland and Ireland. Cromwell personally led the army to suppress them. After establishing order, he restored the power of the parliament and the House of Lords. All the supporters of the king were persecuted and repressed. The Lords, who supported the royalists in the Civil War, seized the property necessary for the reforms. Such actions were positively received by the Calvinists and the common people.

Death and a trace in history

Oliver Cromwell died on September 13, 1658. The cause was, presumably, poisoning (some historians believe that the Lord Protector died of malaria). The funeral of the "iron" Oliver was chic. But after them a turmoil began in the country. A wave of unrest and chaos swept across England. Parliament was forced to invite Charles II, son of the executed king, to the throne. After the coronation, Charles ordered to get Cromwell's body, hang it, and then cut it into 4 parts. Since then, peasants have been forbidden even to pronounce the name "Oliver Cromwell". The lord's biography has been under censorship for a long time.

Cromwell went down in history as a well-known commander and reformer. During the reign, he enjoyed immense popularity with the common people. His policy is a vivid example of Calvinism and democracy. Reforms, made by the Lord Protector, were the first step towards overthrowing feudalism. In the 20th century, a funerary mask was found in which Oliver Cromwell was buried. The photo of the find is presented below. Finally, he was buried only in 1960 in the chapel of one of the colleges of Cambridge.

If we approach the issue from a historical point of view, the years of the republic and the protectorate did not affect the future fate of England, despite all the reforms that Oliver Cromwell introduced. A brief biography of an outstanding Englishman is nevertheless included in the compulsory curriculum of programs of all historic universities in Britain.