The Role of Cromwell

Created by: Lauriie
Created on: 02-05-16 19:58

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Oliver Cromwell
- Early Life
  - grew up in a declining 'mere gentry' family
    - 1617: became head of his family; mother and 5 sisters
      - 1628: elected MP for Huntingdon
        Forced to move to St Ives after an argument with the mayor of Huntingdon
        In the 1630s: had a religious conversion
        1636: his uncle left him a house in Ely along with some money
        1640: elected MP for Cambridge
        
        slipped to the socio-economic level of a tenant farmer
        suffered from depression
  - Role in the Long Parliament
    - acted as a messenger between the Lords and the Commons
    - presented petitions against the bishops and against the persecution of John Lilburne
      - moved that Lord Saye and Sele be appointed the guardian for Charles Stuart
- The First Civil War
  - First Civil War
    - committed to military victory
    - 1642: captain of a troop of horse, prevented university silver being sent to CI
      - 1643: Colonel of a regiment of horse, first victory at the Battle of Winceby
        1644: Lieutenant-general of Horse in the Eastern Association, member of the Committee of Both Kingdoms
        1645: given an exception from the Self Denying Ordinance. Second in Command of the New Model Army
        June: Battle of Naseby
        
        By the end of the first civil war he was the only person in the Kingdom to combine both military and political power
        
        July: Battle of Langport
        
        July 1644: Marston Moor: established his credentials as a very skilled cavalry commander
  - Opposition to the Presbyterians
    - Defended the interests of the Army, in particular the rank and file, in Parliament
      - defended the right of his soldiers to freedom of worship
        opposed intolerance of sects
        
        'Religion was not the thing first contested for, but God brought it to that issue at last
        
        strong belief in Providence to give him direction
      - willing to promote anybody, regardless of class
        caused more concerns that the army threatened social order
- The Search for Settlement
  - 1646
    - wanted CI returned to the throne with safeguards
    - wanted parliament to do right by the Army
      - pay arrears
      - take care of widows and orphans
    - wanted freedom of conscience and religion
  - 1647
    - Presbyterian party in the majority
      - turned against the army, planned to demobilise
      - Cromwell tried to prevent a break between the army and parliament
        May: assured Parliament that the Army would follow orders
    - June: CI kidnapped by the Army
      - July: Cromwell argued for the Heads of the Proposals, against the more radical army agitators
    - Oct-Nov: Chaired the Putney debates
      - respected the Levellers' views but wanted them to drop their more radical demands
    - November: CI escapes to the Isle of Wight: shows that the king was not to be trusted
      - forced an end to the Putney debates
      - 23 Nov: Urged parliament to suppress the Levellers
  - 1648
    - 3 Jan: the Vote of No Addresses
      - Cromwell, supports this, warns that further negotiation with Charles would lead to dissatisfaction, possibly action from the radicals
    - Second Civil War
      - His attitude towards Charles hardened as he felt he had gone against Providence
      - Anger at parliamentarians who had switched sides (eg Colonel Humphrey Matthew
      - Defeated the much larger Scottish army at Preston
      - Felt that the blame lay with Parliament and the Army for showing too much leniancy to CI
    - August 1648: Parliament revoked the Vote of No Addresses
      - Pride's Purge (December) Cromwell was possibly involved but geographically removed- defibitely not as implicated as Ireton
        he said he hadn't known about it, but he didn't think they were wrong
  - 1649
    - Jan 1649: supported CI's execution (his signature was third on the death Warrant)
      - But he and Whitelock had tried to negotiate between Pride's Purge and Christmas
        After he failed he resigned himself to the regicide (Providence)?
        
        Wanted CI's abdication in favour of his youngest son
- The Rump
  - Irish Campaign (1649-50)
    - the 'back door' to the commonwealth
      - said he took command because it was necessary, not for power
    - Cromwell demanded his army be properly funded and paid
    - Drogheda: accused of indiscriminate slaughter, definitely killed the entire garrison
      - Wexford: Cromwell tried to negotiate surrender, but the castle was surrendered during teh negotiations, Cromwell's army stormed the town
        Cromwell saw the accidental deaths of civilians at Wexford as Providential
        Campaign ended April 1650
  - Scottish campaign
    - Fairfax refused to fight his former allies
      - Cromwell gained the full command
    - Forced to retreat to Dunbar afyer sickness/ lack of supply due to Leslie's scorched earth policy
      - The Battle of Dunbar: cut off by Leslie's army, he expected a major defeat, but under cover of night realised they could attack
        aggressivly outflanked Leslie's army during the night- the Scots army was completely taken by surprise and disintegrated
    - Battle of Worcester July 1651: Cromwell described this as his 'crowning mercy'
      - destroyed the Scots army which had invaded England
  - Decision to disband the Rump
    - Unpopular: no general elections since 1641, High taxation due to the cost of the dutch war and the army
    - Resentment between the Rump and the Army: plans to disband the army and sell Hampton Court
    - Failure to heal nation : sold over 700 Royalist estates, did not provide for war wounded and widows
    - Failure to reach a religious settlement
      - Presbyterian settlement neither repealed nor developed
      - Sectaries were demanding more radical reform
      - Had attacked the Committee for the Propagation of the Gospel in Wales for being too radical
    - Failure to hold elections to replace the Rump
    - Failure to carry out Godly Reform
    - His own desire to be in control of things
- The Cromwellian Protectorate
  - Aims of the Protectorate
    - 'Healing and Settling'
      - reconcile former enemies
      - rebuild everyday life
      - 'the royalist problem'
        Rump: 1651 Act of Oblivion
        but had then put 780 Royalist estates up for sale
        
        Cromwell instructed judgs to show former Royalists favor where possible
    - Political Stability
      - wanted a political settlement similar to the 1647 Heads of the Proposals
        Power divided between parliament and an executive (Cromwell)
      - Lambert: The Instrument of Government
        split power between a single person and parliament
        
        must have elections
        
        must have liberty of conscience
        
        Control of the Army should be split
      - Made all MPs take an Oath of Recognition before being admitted (80 refused)
    - Foreign Policy
      - normalise relations with Scotland and Ireland
      - Provide for England's security and Trade
      - End Anglo-Dutch Trade War
      - Make England respected and recognised in Europe
    - Godly Reformation
      - believed that he and the Army had been entrusted with providential reformation by God
      - liberty for protestant sects
      - spread Godly religion
      - improve the clergy
      - modernise the law to help the poor
      - 'reformation of manners'
  - Events of the Protectorate
    - Instrument of Government
      - First Protectorate Parliament (Sept 1654)
        People had been alienated by successive political crises
        
        Haselrig and Bradshaw: led a republican faction which attacked Cromwell's legitimacy
        
        80 Mps refused to take the Oath of Recognition
        
        December: 'Government Bill'- Parliament to approve foreign policy and taxation
        
        Jan 1655: Cromwell dissolves parliament
        
        Cromwell's 'Personal Rule'
        March: Royalist Rebellion
        
        Rule of the Major Generals
        Second Protectorate Parliament (Sept 1656)
        Humble Petition and Advice
        Offered in March 1657: meant to signify a return to civilian rule
        Returned the House of Lords
        
        Parliament had to approve all tacess: no garuantee of funding for the Army
        
        Added more ritual and a Succession
        
        offer of the Crown
        
        Cromwell acccepted the petition but he refused the Crown (due to pressure from the army?)
        
        expenditure was outrunning income by £230 000/yr
        
        Spanish War
        
        very few army candidates won the elections
        the council of State excluded 100 MPs
        
        originally more successful: Spanish War was popular
        
        Case of James Nayler: a Quaker whipped and branded for blasphemy. Convinced Cromwell that the Instrument had to be modified to check the Commons' judicial power
        
        Jan 1657: Commons rejected Major generals Decimation Bill
        
        divided England and Wales into 11 military districts, each giverned by a major-generl
        
        meant to continue godly reformation and reform local government
        But the major generals were generally of lower social class than JPs
        
        Army enforced laws on the reformation of Manners and helped the Ejectors
        
        unpopular
        seen as minority military rule
        
        expensive: Cromwell tried to pay for it by a decimation tax on Royalist estates- but this didn't raise enoughmoey
        
        July: Western Design failed
        
        Cromwell was alarmed that God seemed to have abandoned the Good Old Cause
      - Dec 1653- Sept 1654: Cromwell rules without parliament
      - Religion: Triers Ordinance, Ejectors Ordinance Reformation of Manners
      - Law: Reformed the Court of Chancery, More Humane Laws (eg disembowelment of traitors ended)
        High Court of Justice to distinguish between former and current Royalists
      - Ended Anglo-Dutch War
      - Healing and Settling: cut taxes, dealt with petitions (eg Richard banaster), Abolished Oath of Engagement
  - How successful was the Protectorate?
    - Foreign Policy
      - April 1654: made peace with the Dutch. English merchants recieved compensation and England got an island in the East Indies
        Good for international trage (spice trade) and prestige
      - The Western design: aimed at capturing Spanish territory in the Caribbean (Pandered to Puritan prejudices against Spain)
        total failure/ Caused a crisis in confidence for Cromwell
      - Support for protestants in Piedmont: spreading the forces of puritanism and fighting international catholicism
      - 1655-57: War with Spain- cost a lot of money but was a military success. The English obtained control of Dunkirk
    - Political Stability
      - British Policy: Charles Fleetwood appointed Deputy of Ireland (but conflict between army and Irish, and cost a lot. Henry Cromwell 1655-8: transfer of land to protestants, but no attempt to convert catholics
        Scotland: no attempt to convert presbyterians. Scotland had a lot of freedom
      - Humble Petition: gained civilian support but lost armys? Arguably, this constitution was set up so that the only person who could balance was Cromwell
      - deep financial crisis
    - Godly Reform
      - He passed several ordinances for a 'reformation of manners'
      - reformed the chancery court to make it more accessible
      - passed laws for the relief of prisoners and other very poor people
      - was generally not harsh with enforcement
        major generals differed in enforcement levels
      - there was some opposition: people liked church festivals, sports etc
    - Religious Reform
      - Cromwell managed to create a settlement that was more tolerant of sects
      - However he came up against zealous enforcers
        Case of Nayler
      - Ejectors: made sure ministers were godly and obeyed the basic puritan doctrines
Cromwell's 'Personal Rule'
- March: Royalist Rebellion
- Rule of the Major Generals
  - Second Protectorate Parliament (Sept 1656)
    - Humble Petition and Advice
      - Offered in March 1657: meant to signify a return to civilian rule
        Returned the House of Lords
        
        Parliament had to approve all tacess: no garuantee of funding for the Army
        
        Added more ritual and a Succession
        
        offer of the Crown
      - Cromwell acccepted the petition but he refused the Crown (due to pressure from the army?)
    - expenditure was outrunning income by £230 000/yr
    - Spanish War
    - very few army candidates won the elections
      - the council of State excluded 100 MPs
    - originally more successful: Spanish War was popular
    - Case of James Nayler: a Quaker whipped and branded for blasphemy. Convinced Cromwell that the Instrument had to be modified to check the Commons' judicial power
    - Jan 1657: Commons rejected Major generals Decimation Bill
  - divided England and Wales into 11 military districts, each giverned by a major-generl
  - meant to continue godly reformation and reform local government
    - But the major generals were generally of lower social class than JPs
  - Army enforced laws on the reformation of Manners and helped the Ejectors
  - unpopular
    - seen as minority military rule
    - expensive: Cromwell tried to pay for it by a decimation tax on Royalist estates- but this didn't raise enoughmoey
- July: Western Design failed
- Cromwell was alarmed that God seemed to have abandoned the Good Old Cause

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The Role of Cromwell

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