Oliver Cromwell: Reformist? Hypocrite? And What’s With His 

Head?

 

    Oliver Cromwell was born in Huntingdon to Robert Cromwell and his second wife, Elizabeth Steward, on 25 April 1599. Oliver was the fifth child born to Robert and Elizabeth and the only son to survive to adulthood.

Oliver Cromwell, Samuel Cooper, 1656, NPG, London

     Oliver’s great-great-grandmother was Katherine Cromwell, sister of the infamous chief minister of King Henry VIII, Thomas Cromwell. The Anglican Cromwell sur name was taken by Oliver’s family, as the family were Welsh born. The Welsh methods of surnames were misunderstood by the English. For example, Oliver’s great-great grandfather was named Morgan ap William, which translates to Morgan, son of William. His son’s name was Richard ap Morgan, which translates to Richard, son of Morgan, and this would continue down the line. (Here’s looking at you Owen ap Tudor!) When Oliver’s great-grandfather, Richard, met King Henry VIII, arranged by his uncle, Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII urged Richard to take an English surname. Henry VIII suggested that Richard should take the surname of his well-respected uncle. And so it was that Cromwell’s last name was adopted by his nephew and passed down to future generations.

 

Thomas Cromwell, Hans Holbein the Younger, c. 1532-1533, The Frick Collection

     Oliver was baptized on 29 April 1599, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, at All Saints Church in Huntingdon. Oliver married Elizabeth Bouchier on 22 August 1620 at St. Giles-without-Cripplegate in London. The two had nine children, six of which would survive.

     In 1628, Cromwell was elected to Parliament. In 1631, the Cromwell family moved to St. Ives. This was a step backwards for the Cromwell family, which seems to have lead to some sort of emotional breakdown for Cromwell. It was probably around this time that Cromwell developed religious leanings towards Puritanism.

     By this time, King Charles I was the reigning monarch of England. Charles I had only called Parliament three times at this point: once in 1628, a second time in 1640 (which became known as the Short Parliament) and a third time, also in 1640, which became known as the Long Parliament. The Long Parliament failed to resolve outstanding issues and thus began the Civil War: Parliament versus King Charles I.

 King Charles I, after van Dyck, 1636

     Before the Civil War, Cromwell’s only military experience lay in the county militia. He would have on the job training and rose through the ranks, showcasing his military prowess. Eventually, King Charles I would surrender on 5 May 1646. Parliament imprisoned Charles I while negotiations commenced. Cromwell was willing to compromise with Charles I and return him to power with conditions: checks of power, regularly elected parliaments, and an Episcopal religion that would not be forced on English subjects.

    By 1648, negotiations seemed futile. King Charles I was able to escape his captivity at Hampton Court Palace, by sneaking out via a set of back stairs where the Thames would carry him to freedom. Charles I raised an army and the civil war resumed. The only way to end the civil war, from Cromwell’s point of view, was the trial and execution of Charles I. The factual basis for the trial and execution of the king was based on the Book of Numbers from the bible that read “The land cannot be cleaned of blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it” (Chapter 35, Verse 33). Cromwell and fifty-eight others signed Charles I’s death warrant. He was executed on 30 January 1649.

     After King Charles I’s death, the Commonwealth of England emerged. Cromwell turned his sights on Ireland. The Irish Confederate Catholics and the English Royalists proved a threat,  therefore, Cromwell orchestrated a Parliamentary Invasion in 1649. His efforts were effective. Cromwell was forced to leave Ireland upon hearing that Charles I’s son, also Charles (later King Charles II and henceforth referred to as Charles II), arrived in Scotland after leaving exile in France. The Scots had declared for King Charles II. Charles II posed a major threat just north of the border; Cromwell was forced to return to England.

 

King Charles II, John Michael Wright, c. 1660-1665, NPG, London

     Cromwell and his troops invaded Scotland in 1650. Taking advantage of Cromwell’s distraction, Charles II invaded England. Cromwell was victorious and Charles II barely evaded capture. Cromwell was a busy man who was often away on campaign; without his presence in England, factions in Parliament began to form. Cromwell had better find a permanent constitutional and religious settlement, and quick!

     In response, Cromwell was named Lord Protector of the Commonwealth on 16 December 1653. He began to sign letters “Oliver P” (protector) and was referred to as “Your Highness”. Cromwell was essentially an alter-rex, or other king; a nickname that was previously attributed to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey during the reign of Henry VIII. Cromwell could call and dissolve parliaments, was popular with his army and took in a staggering salary of 100,000 pounds per annum. Cromwell then set out on healing the nation and reforming its spirituality and morals.

     In 1657, Parliament offered Cromwell the crown and he struggled over his response. In the end, he decided that it would have been hypocritical to take what he helped destroy. Cromwell was re-sworn in as Lord Protector during a ceremony on 26 June 1657. King Edward’s Chair was brought to Westminster Hall from Westminster Abbey for the occasion.

     Oliver Cromwell died on 3 September 1658. His funeral was held at Westminster Abbey and Cromwell was laid to rest in the eastern end of the Lady Chapel (now known at the RAF Chapel) in Westminster Abbey, near his daughter, Elizabeth Claypole. Elizabeth had just died in August 1658, which many thought contributed to his death. The Protectorate was not hereditary (a complaint against the monarchy) but interestingly, Cromwell nominated his son, Richard, to succeeded him as Lord Protector.

     Richard Cromwell was forced to resign the Protectorate in May 1659. The monarchy was restored and King Charles II returned from exile. Driven by vengeance for his father’s execution, Charles II ordered Oliver Cromwell’s body removed from Westminster Abbey and suffered a posthumous execution on 30 January 1661, twelve years to the day of Charles I’s death. Cromwell’s body was hanged at Tyburn, decapitated and his head was put on display in front of Westminster Hall until 1685. After many years of being privately owned and displayed, Cromwell’s head was buried at Sidney Sussex College in Cambridge in 1960.

Sir Nicholas Throckmorton was acquitted of treason on 17 April 1554.

Sir Nicholas Throckmorton was accused of conspiring in Wyatt’s Rebellion during the reign of Queen Mary I. The rebellion arose out of concern of Mary’s forthcoming marriage to Philip II of Spain and an effort to retain England as a Protestant nation. England was weary of having a foreign king. Would he usurp power from Mary? Would he involve England in wars that were not their fight? Would their taxes go towards non-English benefit?

Throckmorton was said to have defended himself well during the trial, running circles around his accusers and having more knowledge of the law. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, which was, quite frankly, unheard of in Tudor times. As a result, Thomas Wyatt’s severed head was stolen during the celebrations of Throckmorton’s acquittal.

Mary I was incensed and, as a result, every sitting member of the jury was arrested and forced to pay fines. Throckmorton remained imprisoned until January 1555. Unfortunately, Wyatt’s head was never recovered!

                                Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, Unknown, c. 1562, NPG, London

Thomas Wyatt the Younger, Hans Holbein the Younger, c. 1540-1542, The Weiss Gallery, London

In light of the solar eclipse, let me tell you a little bit about one that occurred on 16 March 1485!

The 16th of March proved a difficult day for King Richard III. His wife, Queen Anne Neville, lay upon her sick bed, less than a year after the loss of their only son, Prince Edward of Middleham. His wife was dying, he lost his son, and that pesky, exiled Henry Tudor threatened imminent invasion.

16 March 1485 proved to be Queen Anne Neville’s last day on earth. It was reported that on the day of her death, a sudden darkness overcame England. The birds stopped chirping and animals ran for refuge. The world came to a stop as the sun was completely covered for over four minutes. Chaos ensued. Was this a sign? A bad omen?

For Richard III, it certainly was- at least in hindsight. His wife was gone, his son was gone and the end of his life would come in five short months during the Battle of Bosworth, at the hands of Henry Tudor’s army.

For the Tudors, they saw this solar eclipse as a sign from God. The old Yorkist regime was being snuffed out, and as the sun reemerged from darkness, so would the Tudors. It was the dawn of a new era.

Happy viewing y’all! ☀️😎

Queen Mary I wrote her last will on 30 March 1558. 

Mary I believed herself to be about eight months pregnant in March 1558. She created her will in the event that she died in childbirth, an imminent danger for women in the 16th century.

Mary I named her unborn child as her heir, with her husband, King Philip II of Spain, named as regent. Mary also requested that her mother’s remains, Queen Catherine of Aragon, be removed from Peterborough Cathedral, and reinterred in Westminster Abbey, where Mary also requested to be buried. Catherine and Mary were denied a relationship for the majority of Mary's life, she wanted to finally be reunited with her mother in death.

Heart achingly, Queen Mary I never gave birth to a child as she was not pregnant. It seems as though Mary suffered a phantom pregnancy. It was not her only one. Mary endured a phantom pregnancy in 1554-1555, as well.

Mary’s health rapidly deteriorated after this traumatic event and she passed away in November 1558. Mary I was laid to rest in Westminster Abbey, but her last wish for her mother to join her there never came to fruition. Upon Queen Elizabeth I's death, Elizabeth would be laid to rest on top of Mary and a gigantic monument was placed over both queens. Only this monument was dedicated to Elizabeth. Other than a little plaque that was recently placed on the monument, one would have no idea that the first Queen Regnant of England also lay there.

Queen Mary I, Hans Eworth, c. 1555-1558

Monumental Tomb of Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Mary I

Taken by me, May 2023

Westminster Abbey, London