CROMWELL, OLIVER. - English statesman, b. 25 Apr. 1599 at Huntingdon, d. 3 Sept. 1658 at London. From childhood he was educated in the strictest Puritanism and from an early age felt a profound aversion for the Anglican Church and its head, the king. He began his political career in 1628 as representative of Huntingdon in the House of Commons. Later, during the Short Parliament (Apr.-May 1640) and the Long Parliament (which lasted from Nov. 1640 to Mar. 1660, even after his death), he represented the city of Cambridge. A tenacious opponent of King Charles I, he began to make a name for himself at the outbreak of the Civil War as a military leader, especially through the formation of a cavalry corps. The decisive victory at Naseby (1645), which deprived the king of the core of his army, was largely due to Cromwell’s cavalry. When he entered into negotiations with the king, Cromwell soon realized that any positive outcome would sooner or later lead to the triumph of the Anglican Church, the persecution of Puritans, and the undermining of his own position and that of the army. He therefore saw no other way out than the king’s death, for the mere exile or imprisonment of the monarch would always pose a danger to the country. After the execution of Charles I (30 Jan. 1649), Cromwell became the undisputed master of England under the title of “Lord Protector.” He had thus attained a position that enabled him to fight with all means for the triumph of his Puritan ideals, which had nourished and sustained him throughout his life. However, he proved narrow-minded and incurred many enmities, provoking widespread opposition that, upon his death, facilitated the restoration of the monarchy. He treated Catholics harshly, persecuting them in every way, requiring them to take an oath of abjuration under penalty of losing two-thirds of their property and nearly all civil rights. He also sought to expel Catholic priests from English soil.
C. 113 SGR. Silvio Furlani