oliver cromell- hero or villain?

Authors Avatar

Was Oliver Cromwell a hero or a villain?

Cromwell is one of the most contentious figures in British History. I think that he was both a hero and a villain. At times he acted very heroic and selfless but he had to take cruel and drastic measures which forced people to believe that he was a villain. But at other times he acted very villainous and brutal and only did things that he would gain from. But is a hero someone we can admire and who is kind? Or is a hero someone who does brutal and horrendous things that have to be done? He ruled Britain from 1653-1658. He had many supporters as well as opposers. This is because he provoked strong feelings on both sides.

During the civil war Cromwell became a hero to those who supported the parliament’s cause because of the vital contribution he made to their victory. By 1644 he had become a general and he helped form the New Model Army which was very effective and using this army he won the Marston Moor battle for parliament. He also helped the parliament win the Naseby Civil War in 1645. He was a great and efficient cavalry commander who led men into the charge but kept them on the battlefield. I think he was a hero at this time as he didn’t gain any power out of fighting this battle which proves that he fought because he believed in it. By 1648 he had contributed more than anyone else in the parliament. He was very selfless and honest during this time. But royalists thought that he was acting quite villainous as they thought he was a traitor and only fought for power.

Join now!

By 1648 Cromwell was faced with a difficult decision; should he let the king live and rule or was it better to have him executed. Royalists, MPs and most people in Britain did not want Charles I to go on trial and they wanted the king and parliament to work together therefore they considered Cromwell a villain whereas he was a hero to those who believed in republic because they thought that the king should be executed because he couldn’t be trusted. I think that he was a hero during this time as the king had started another civil ...

This is a preview of the whole essay