23 Facts About Henry Cromwell

Henry Cromwell was the fourth son of Oliver Cromwell and Elizabeth Bourchier, and an important figure in the Parliamentarian regime in Ireland.

Henry Cromwell was educated at Felsted School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

Henry Cromwell entered the New Model Army towards the close of the First Civil War, and was in 1647 either a captain in Harrison's regiment or the commander of Fairfax's lifeguard.

In 1653 Henry Cromwell was nominated one of the representatives of Ireland in the Barebones Parliament.

Henry Cromwell reported that the army in general, with the exception of the Anabaptists, were well satisfied with the recent change, and recommended that Ludlow, of whose venomous discontent and reproachful utterances he complains, should be replaced as lieutenant-general by John Desborough.

Henry Cromwell suggested to Thurloe the exportation of fifteen hundred or two thousand young boys of twelve or fourteen years of age.

Henry Cromwell's adversaries were powerful in England, and continually at the ear of the Protector; but Oliver, though chary of praise, and not giving his son all the public support he expected, approved of his conduct in this matter.

Henry Cromwell's letters are a long series of complaints, and he continually talks of resigning his office.

Just as Henry Cromwell was congratulating himself that the opposition of the Anabaptists was finally crushed, he was involved in fresh perplexities by the intrigues and resignation of Steele, the Irish Chancellor.

Henry Cromwell's promotion was accompanied by the appointment of a new Irish council, "the major art of whom", wrote Henry to his brother Richard, "were men of a professed spirit of contradiction to whatsoever I would have, and took counsel together how to lay wait for me without a cause".

Henry Cromwell was charged to disband a large part of the Irish army, but not allowed to have a voice in the management of disbanding.

Henry Cromwell endeavoured to devise means of raising the money to pay them in Ireland, but found the country was too poor, and the taxes far heavier than in England.

Henry Cromwell frequently refers to them in terms of dislike and distrust, especially in his letters to Thurloe during 1657 and 1658.

Henry Cromwell considered them as opposed to any legal settlement and desirous to perpetuate their own arbitrary power.

Henry Cromwell advised the calling of a new parliament as soon as possible, but it should be preceded by the remodelling of the army and the cashiering of turbulent officers.

Henry Cromwell opposed the proposal to tax the cavalier party promiscuously, but approved the imposition of a test on all members of the approaching parliament.

Henry Cromwell knew that the maintenance of the existing state of affairs depended solely on the life of the Protector.

The announcement that the Protector had before dying nominated Richard Cromwell was very welcome to Henry.

Henry Cromwell was anxious to come over to England, not only for the benefit of his own health, but in order to confer with Richard and his friends in England on the principles of Irish policy, and on the prospects and plans of the new government in England.

The former wrote that his continuance in Ireland, and at the head of so good an army, was one of the greatest safeguards of his brother's rule in England, and Broghill added, "Neither Ireland nor Harry Henry Cromwell are safe if separated".

Henry Cromwell was wroth at the slight to his brother, but still more at the aspersions cast on his father's memory, and, above all things, distressed by the prospect of renewed civil war.

The principles Henry Cromwell had expressed in his reproof to Fleetwood forbade him to use his army for personal ends, or seek to impose its will on the nation.

Henry Cromwell pleaded the merits of his government of Ireland, and the favour he had shown the Royalists during the time of his power.