Cromwell

 

   There are many in the United Kingdom who would like to see an end to the monarchy, but no one is proposing to behead King Charles III as happened to his namesake, Charles I, back in 1649. This first  Charles tried to rule without the advice of Parliament. He believed it was his divine right to do so with no backchat from the rabble. The rabble went to war and beat him. Even in defeat, Charles refused to come to terms and left his opponents no choice but to execute him.

   This regicide divided the nation and it took a firm hand to restore order in the country. The strong hand was provided by Oliver Cromwell, who had been a general in the army that defeated the king. After Charles’ execution, the Royalists, those who wanted to restore the monarchy, reunited in Ireland and Scotland. Cromwell was sent to put them down. Cromwell is warmly hated in Ireland to this day.

   Parliament had taken control of the country after the removal of the king, but could not agree on a new form of government, so Cromwell cleared Parliament Hall by force and only let in members he deemed men of God.  Cromwell had begun quoting the Bible to justify his actions. He liked verses that mentioned blood.

  To restore stability, Parliament made Cromwell Lord Protector of England for life on this day in 1653. He spent the next six years until his death in 1659 trying to keep the country together. Cromwell ruled as a dictator.  To his credit he turned down Parliament's offer to crown him king. He also let the Jews return to England after they had been banished 350 years previously. He wanted their financial expertise, though he expected they would convert to Christianity, which would result in the second coming of Christ.

  Cromwell suffered from malaria, but refused quinine, the only known treatment, because it had been discovered by Catholic Jesuit missionaries. After his death there was a power vacuum and Parliament decided to reestablish the monarchy under Charles' son, also named Charles.  Charles II very sensibly cooperated with Parliament and occupied himself fathering eleven illegitimate children, but neglected to provide England with a legitimate heir.

  Two years after the restoration, on the anniversary of the execution of Charles I, Cromwell's body was exhumed from Westminster Abbey and beheaded.  The head sat on a pole outside Westminster Hall for the next 25 years, after which it traveled here and there, only to be buried somewhere on the grounds of Cromwell's old college in Cambridge in 1960.

Old Ironsides: And people say our politics are rough and tumble.