Cromwell and the Execution of Charles I
Oliver Cromwell was at heart no republican; but he believed that God manifested His will through the triumphs or misfortunes that He awarded to those engaged in “great businesses”. Charles Ogilvie writes how Charles's continued misjudgments revealed that, if the world were to be made safe for the “Godly,” the King must be executed.
Cromwell was responsible for the execution of the King. A mere handful, possibly not more than a few hundred people, were really determined to put the King to death. Without Cromwell’s active support they would have been powerless. But he was almost a majority in himself, and once his mind was made up that the King must die, Charles’s fate was sealed.
Cromwell was in no sense a republican. He cared little for forms of government. But it is certain that for long, probably up to the outbreak of the second civil war, he would have preferred a return to the ancient order, Kings, Lords, and Commons, provided that the world could be made safe for the “Godly.” He had carried on protracted negotiations with Charles after the first civil war, and had respected and even admired him.
To continue reading this article you need to purchase a subscription, available from only £5.
Start my trial subscription now
If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in.
Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.
