Oliver Cromwell, a Brilliant Military Leader

Oliver Cromwell is a brilliant military leader and heads the lure of the parliamentary forces and achieve victory in the English civil war was the person most responsible for the establishment of parliamentary democracy as a form of British rule.
Cromwell was born in 1599 in Huntingdon, England. As a young man he lived in England torn by religious conflict and led by a king who believes and want to practice the absolute monarchy. Cromwell himself was a farmer and rural character and a devout Puritan. In 1628 he was elected a member of parliament. However, this very short post he held for the following year King Charles I decided to dissolve parliament and govern the country alone. Not until the year 1640 when he needed money to launch a war against the Scots, the king summoned a new parliament again. The new Parliament which Cromwell was also a member, ask for assurance and protection of the royal power did not return to at will. However, Charles I objected under the authority of parliament. What power? The only way available is war, and war broke out in 1646, war between the forces of the king and the minion pro parliament.

Cromwell sided with the pro-parliament. Back to Huntingdon town, he built the cavalry to assault the king. During the war that lasted four years, its military capability public spotlight. Cromwell hold decisive role, both in the battle of Marston Moor (July 2, 1644) is very critical and a turning point of war, and in a decisive battle at Naseby (June 14, 1645). In the year 1646 the war ended and Charles I was imprisoned. Cromwell recognized as the most successful generals of the pro-party parliament.

However, a full peace did not come because of the pro fragmented parliament in fractions that are fundamentally different from each other's goals. King knows this division, so he avoided a peaceful solution. Within a year, a second civil war soon broke out again accompanied by the escape of Charles I and the experiments supporting the troops gather. Results from this new conflict is to defeat the army of King Charles I by the onslaught of Cromwell, erode the people who hold moderate in parliament and executed King Charles I in January 1649.

English is now a republic (called "Conmmonwealth"), ruled for a while by the Council of State, who chaired Cromwell. However, the pro can quickly master the kingdom of Ireland and Scotland and give support to her late son of King Charles II in the future.

The result is a successful occupation of Ireland and Scotland by Cromwell's army. A long series of battles that ended in 1625 with the defeat of the supporters of absolute kings.

The war is finished, now it's time to establish a new government. However, there remains the problem of the constitutional form of government that must dijelmakan. This issue was never resolved during Cromwell's still alive. Puritan generals have been able to lead the battle that brought victory to those who opposed the absolute monarchy. However, both the power and prestige are not skilled enough to solve social conflicts between supporters and invite them failed to agree a new constitution, because this conflict has been linked with a hook-religious conflict that broke the Protestant and other groups, also with Roman Catholics.

When Cromwell was over the reins of power, the rest of the parliament in 1640 very few in number, are not representative, the extreme minority, called "Rump." The first step is taken Cromwell assessments for a new general election. When the effort failed assessments mess, he dissolved the "Rump" by force (this occurred in April of 1653). Since then until the death of Cromwell in 1658, there were three parliamentary different formed and dissolved. Two kinds of the constitution agreed upon, but none of them work properly. Throughout this period, Cromwell ordered the Armed Forces for their support. As a result, he became a military dictator. However, repeated experiments implement democratic practices and the refusal of the proposed offer of the throne of her, clearly shows that dictatorship is not something to be sought and wanted. Was forced upon him by the inability of its supporters in terms of establishing a government that is running as it should.

From 1653 until 1658, Cromwell, with the title Lord Protector (The Protector), so the British rulers, Scotland and Ireland. For five years, the UK Cromwell made a rule that is generally good and the administration to work properly. He is improving various legal way and he could not support genah develop education sector. Cromwell has a tolerance of religion, he allowed the Jews back to England and settled in the practice of worship according to his beliefs. (They were expelled from England three centuries by King Edward I). Cromwell also run a foreign policy success. He died in London in 1658 due to malaria attacks.

Cromwell's eldest son, Richard Cromwell, to replace the father but only briefly ruled. In 1660 Charles II was raised back to the throne. The remnants of Cromwell's followers slashed to death and hanged until his tongue lolling. However, the extermination business of any kind is done, the effort nevertheless revenge berkobarnya could not cover up the fact that the desperate struggle for the existence of an absolute monarchy was destroyed. Charles II to realize this, so he did not try to fight the parliamentary advantage. When his successor, James II, tried to restore the system of absolute monarchy, he was soon overthrown by a bloodless revolution in 1688. The results shown are exactly what is wanted by Cromwell in 1640, is a constitutional monarchy where the king is clear under the parliament and respect the institutions and political embrace of tolerance towards all religions.

Interval three centuries after his death, the character of Oliver Cromwell has been the subject of disagreement. Some critics call him a hypocrite, pointing to examples of evidence of how he always wanted the benefits of the parliament but at the same time he was always demanding of executive power in one hand. So, in reality he established a system of military dictatorship. However, the overwhelming majority view however, see Cromwell devotion to democratic life very honest and sincere although it can not overcome the force he was to act hard and dictatorial. They have observed that Cromwell never plintat-plintut, and also never received an offer he sat on the throne, or to establish a permanent dictatorship. His administration is always moderate and tolerant.

How we can infer the influence of Cromwell as a whole in history? The main significance, no doubt, he was a brilliant military leader, able to break the power of the kingdom in civil war England. Before Cromwell appeared in the arena, the state of parliamentary power in the lowest level of ugliness, so it can be practically final victory would not have happened without the presence of Cromwell. Cromwell winnings is make more well-established and strong democratic government in the UK.

This should not be taken lightly. This can not happen just like that in ordinary circumstances. In the 17th century, almost all of Europe move towards a system of absolute monarchy. The victory of democracy in the UK is just the opposite of the current was swift, swift flowing. In the years since then, an example of democracy in the UK is a driving factor for the reform movement in France and at the same time the French Revolution and menjelmanya coincided with that of democratic governments in Europe. And undeniably, the victory of democratic forces in the British establishment plays an important role of democratic governance system in the United States and other British colonies such as Canada and Australia. Although England itself occupies only a small part of the world, establish democracy to influence other areas of more-extensive.

Oliver Cromwell could be placed higher position in the sequence list this book, but almost all the credit for the establishment of democratic systems in the United Kingdom and the United States must be presented to the philosopher John Locke. A little difficult to determine the relative importance for Cromwell which in essence is the field of acting while Locke was an initiator of ideas. However, measured from the time of Locke's intellectual climate, a similar political ideas will also soon appear even if Locke had never lived. Conversely, if there is no Cromwell, the parliament forces likely will not be able to defeat the power of the kingdom in civil war England. Michael H. Hart,One hundred most influential figures in the history.