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The classic, bestselling biography of one of the most controversial figures in British history from 'One of the finest historians of the age' The Times Literary Supplement From Fenland farmer and humble backbencher to stalwart of the good old cause and the New Model Army, Oliver Cromwell became the key figure of the Commonwealth, and ultimately Lord Protector. In this fascinating and insightful biography, Christopher Hill reveals Cromwell's life from his beginnings in Huntingdonshire to his brutal end. Hill brings all his considerable knowledge of the period to bear on the relationships God's Englishman had with God and England, giving an unprecedented insight vital to understanding Cromwell.

Now available in paperback, Cromwell's Legacy is an exciting collection of essays by scholars who are well-known in their fields of research, most of whom have a proven track record of making their scholarship accessible to a wide student and general readership. This study examines different ways in which Cromwell's life and work impacted on Britain and the rest of the world after his death. Each contributor examines Cromwell's legacy, including not only the important central question of Cromwell's impact on the religious, military and political life of Britain after his death but also Britain's relations with Europe and future developments in both North and South America. The structure of this book has been designed to give as wide a coverage of time and place as possible. This book not only sheds light on an aspect of Cromwellian studies that has been comparatively neglected, it will also stimulate further work on this topic.

Written by a leading expert on the Puritans, this brief, informative volume offers a wealth of background on this key religious movement. This book traces the shaping, triumph, and decline of the Puritan world, while also examining the role of religion in the shaping of American society and the role of the Puritan legacy in American history. Francis J. Bremer discusses the rise of Puritanism in the English Reformation, the struggle of the reformers to purge what they viewed as the corruptions of Roman Catholicism from the Elizabethan church, and the struggle with the Stuart monarchs that led to a brief Puritan triumph under Oliver Cromwell. It also examines the effort of Puritans who left England to establish a godly kingdom in America. Bremer examines puritan theology, views on family and community, their beliefs about the proper relationship between religion and public life, the limits of toleration, the balance between individual rights and one's obligation to others, and the extent to which public character should be shaped by private religious belief. About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.

In 'Oliver Cromwell and the Rule of the Puritans in England' by C. H. Firth, the book delves into an in-depth analysis of the political and religious landscape during the period of Puritan rule in England. Firth's scholarly work is characterized by meticulous research and a clear, concise writing style that makes the complex historical events easily accessible to readers. The book provides valuable insights into Cromwell's rise to power, the establishment of the Commonwealth, and the impact of Puritan ideals on English society. Firth skillfully blends primary sources with critical analysis to paint a vivid picture of this transformative period in English history. As a renowned historian and expert on 17th-century England, C. H. Firth brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to 'Oliver Cromwell and the Rule of the Puritans in England'. His background in studying political and religious movements of the era provides readers with a nuanced understanding of the motivations and consequences of Cromwell's rule. Firth's dedication to historical accuracy and contextual interpretation shines through in this seminal work. I highly recommend 'Oliver Cromwell and the Rule of the Puritans in England' to anyone interested in delving deeper into the complex history of the English Civil War and the Puritan Commonwealth. Firth's comprehensive analysis and engaging narrative make this book a must-read for history enthusiasts and scholars alike.

Looks at how the lives of John Winthrop, governor of Massachusetts, and Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Puritan Commonwealth in England, were intertwined at a time of conflict between church and state and between Native and European Americans.

'A compelling and wry narrative of one of the most intellectually thrilling eras of British history' Guardian. ***************** SHORTLISTED FOR THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE 2020 England, 1651. Oliver Cromwell has defeated his royalist opponents in two civil wars, executed the Stuart king Charles I, laid waste to Ireland, and crushed the late king's son and his Scottish allies. He is master of Britain and Ireland. But Parliament, divided between moderates, republicans and Puritans of uncompromisingly millenarian hue, is faction-ridden and disputatious. By the end of 1653, Cromwell has become 'Lord Protector'. Seeking dragons for an elect Protestant nation to slay, he launches an ambitious 'Western Design' against Spain's empire in the New World. When an amphibious assault on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in 1655 proves a disaster, a shaken Cromwell is convinced that God is punishing England for its sinfulness. But the imposition of the rule of the Major-Generals – bureaucrats with a penchant for closing alehouses – backfires spectacularly. Sectarianism and fundamentalism run riot. Radicals and royalists join together in conspiracy. The only way out seems to be a return to a Parliament presided over by a king. But will Cromwell accept the crown? Paul Lay narrates in entertaining but always rigorous fashion the story of England's first and only experiment with republican government: he brings the febrile world of Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate to life, providing vivid portraits of the extraordinary individuals who inhabited it and capturing its dissonant cacophony of political and religious voices. ***************** Reviews: 'Briskly paced and elegantly written, Providence Lost provides us with a first-class ticket to this Cromwellian world of achievement, paradox and contradiction. Few guides take us so directly, or so sympathetically, into the imaginative worlds of that tumultuous decade' John Adamson, The Times. 'Providence Lost is a learned, lucid, wry and compelling narrative of the 1650s as well as a sensitive portrayal of a man unravelled by providence' Jessie Childs, Guardian.

The first volume in a pioneering account of Oliver Cromwell--providing a major new interpretation of one of the greatest figures in history Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658)--the only English commoner to become the overall head of state--is one of the great figures of history, but his character was very complex. He was at once courageous and devout, devious and self-serving; as a parliamentarian, he was devoted to his cause; as a soldier, he was ruthless. Cromwell's speeches and writings surpass in quantity those of any other ruler of England before Victoria and, for those seeking to understand him, he has usually been taken at his word. In this remarkable new work, Ronald Hutton untangles the facts from the fiction. Cromwell, pursuing his devotion to God and cementing his Puritan support base, quickly transformed from obscure provincial to military victor. At the end of the first English Civil War, he was poised to take power. Hutton reveals a man who was both genuine in his faith and deliberate in his dishonesty--and uncovers the inner workings of the man who has puzzled biographers for centuries.