8-1OliverCromwell

Who was Oliver Cromwell? What is his Legacy? //Answer prepared by Jack C.// Oliver Cromwell, former soldier, puritan, Lord Protector of England did many things in the course of his life, many beneficial and many horrible. Oliver Cromwell was born into a well-off puritan family in England. It was obvious from his first days that young Oliver was born for leadership and he demonstrated this leadership throughout his life.

Cromwell fought for Parliament in the Civil war against Charles I and his loyalists and was one of the main advocates of his execution, succeeding in the end. The civil war was caused by a series of laws made by the king, Charles I, and Parliament overriding these laws with other laws. It was this disagreement between Charles I and Parliament that set the stage for the rise to power of Cromwell. Gaining rank after rank in the army throughout the war Oliver gained the rank of Lieutenant General and was made the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland where he became known as a vicious ruler who crushed revolts with an iron fist and a black heart. Growing in influence throughout his career Cromwell finished off the supporters of Charles II and ended the civil war. After this long war Cromwell became frustrated with the rule in England and made himself Lord Protector of England, enforcing his rule with the army as his muscle. During this time Cromwell moved to do things like reorganize the National Church, establish English Puritanism, and begin religious tolerance throughout England. According to “The Globe Theatre 1613” it was also during this time that Cromwell destroyed many of the theaters around England, including Shakespeare's Globe, and outlawed many social activities because of his radically conservative religious beliefs. He did this because he believed that it was hurting the English society and his radical religious beliefs caused him to take swift action against any threat to what he believed in. He would often send troops in and simply burn the theatres to the ground and this gave him a negative reputation.

Oliver Cromwell enforced his reign through the army his whole life and this left a bad impression on him historically. Cromwell will be remembered as a murderer, radical puritan, and hater of the arts. Although establishing religious tolerance in England Cromwell’s evil deeds outweighed his good and will be remembered for them. Upon Oliver Cromwell’s death he was dug up and hanged and according to “Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658)” is still remembered as one of the most evil rulers in English history. Works Cited "Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658)." BBC Historic Figures 2 Mar 2009 . "The Globe Theatre 1613." BBC home 21/05/2007 4 Mar 2009 .