Oliver Cromwell

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Oliver Cromwell - Hero Or Villian?

Historians in the 19th century believed that Oliver Cromwell was a hero because he created a very successful, well paid and well equipped army. They were also known as the New Model Army. But Cromwell was also known for his cruelty by the historians of the 20th century because he ordered his troops to carry out the massacres at Drogheda and Wexford.

Some people think that Cromwell was a villain. There are many pieces of evidence for this, one being because in 1 he sent the New Model Army to kill thousands of men, women and children in Drogheda in Ireland then became Lord Protector. Hundreds people hid in a church but Cromwell ordered it to be burnt down, all the local priests and many innocent people were burnt alive. Most people thought this was extremely unnecessary and shows Cromwell to be heartless. But the Irish refused to surrender when they were given the chance. In 1650 he also sent his army to crush Scotland. People were worried that Britain was sliding into the madness of religious wars. Another reason was that Cromwell made a lot of changes, for example; he