Despite laying their arms down presumably in the hopes of being taken as prisoners of war , the garrison at Drogheda, comprising English and Irish Catholic and Protestant soldiers, were executed in cold blood, a breach of the contemporary rules of war. Whether civilians were killed is the subject of much historical controversy. Cromwell wrote about the summary execution of people it is not specified whether they were soldiers or civilians and Catholic clergy in St Peter's Church.
News of the violent sacking of Drogheda prompted nearby garrisons Dundalk, Carlingford, Newry and Trim to surrender without a fight. Cromwell subsequently headed south where he successfully took Wexford on October 11th.
His troops gained entry to the town as the defenders were divided on the terms of settlement with Cromwell. One commander, Captain Strafford, opened the gates to Cromwell's troops. Allegedly, they then slaughtered 2, soldiers and civilians in the town. By the end of January , Cromwell controlled almost the entire eastern, northern and southern coasts with the exception of Waterford.
Soon after, he captured Fethard and Cashel. By March, despite spirited resistance from the defenders, Cromwell captured Kilkenny and Clonmel. The disintegration of the royalist war effort in Ireland and news that Charles Stuart had reached an agreement with the Scots meant that Cromwell now had to turn his attention to Scotland.
Cromwell and his commanders were able to complete the English conquest of Ireland over the course of three years He returned to England in May after nine months in Ireland.
One wonders how many of the c. Perhaps this subject could be more fully explored in a further article in History Ireland? Login Subscribe To renew a subscription please login first. Search for:. Yours etc. That field of glory. The story of Clontarf, from battleground to garden suburb Read More. Personal Histories is an initiative by History Ireland, which aims to capture the individual histories of Irish people both in Ireland and around the world.
After Pride's Purge, in which troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Pride arrested those in Parliament still loyal to the monarch, the chamber was reconvened with a membership that was decidedly anti-monarch. In the aftermath of the purge, the remaining Parliamentarians voted to arrest and execute Charles I.
However, the Royalists regrouped, signing a treaty with Catholics in Ireland. Cromwell led the invasion of Ireland, landing in Dublin on August 15, , and his forces soon took the ports of Drogheda and Wexford. His troops killed an estimated 1, civilians at Wexford, which they allegedly attacked while he was trying to negotiate a truce. By the time the Irish surrendered in , the practice of Catholicism was banned in Ireland and all Catholic-owned land was confiscated and given to Protestant Scottish and English settlers, beginning a long period of suffering and poverty for the Irish people.
Cromwell would lead a subsequent military campaign against the Scots, including a decisive victory at the Scottish city of Dundee. With the Scots defeated, Parliament re-formed in Cromwell sought to push the legislative body to call for new elections and establish a united government over England, Scotland and Ireland.
When some opposed, Cromwell forcibly disbanded Parliament. Several months later, following various attempts to establish a government, John Lambert, himself a key Parliamentary general during the English Civil Wars, drafted a new constitution, effectively making Cromwell Lord Protector for life.
The so-called Second Protectorate Parliament, instated in , offered to make Cromwell king. However, given that he had fought so hard to abolish the monarchy, he refused the post, and was ceremoniously appointed Lord Protector for a second time.
Cromwell died from kidney disease or a urinary tract infection in at age 59 while still serving as Lord Protector. His son Richard Cromwell assumed the post, but was forced to resign due to a lack of support within Parliament or the military.
In the leadership vacuum that ensued, George Monck assumed control of the New Model Army and spearheaded the formation of a new Parliament, which proceeded to pass constitutional reforms that re-established the monarchy.
In , Charles II, who had been living in exile, returned to England to assume the throne, thereby beginning the English Restoration. His head was displayed atop a pole outside Westminster Hall for more than 20 years.
Reviews in History. Mulraney, Frances. Oliver Cromwell, BBC. Headless story. The Economist. Oliver Cromwell and Family. Westminster Abbey.
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