Oliver Cromwell God's Warrior and the English Revolution

The first new biography of Cromwell in several years, this rounded account interweaves his political and military careers, and explores his passionate religiosity. Synthesizing much recent research on Cromwell's early life, Gentles presents to students a fresh view of him as a lay preacher, a soldier, and as lord protector.

Ian Gentles synthesizes much recent research including Cromwell's activity as a lay preacher, his patronage of the arts and his promotion of horse breeding. Gentles also provides fresh findings on Cromwell's pay as a soldier, his personal enrichment as General and Lord Protector, his little-known erotic side, and his astonishing generosity in the cause of international Protestantism. At the same time, this approachable study provides a new assessment of Cromwell's genius as a soldier and sheds light on the suspenseful drama surrounding parliament's offer of the crown in 1657. Ian Gentles is Visiting Professor of History at Tyndale University College, Canada. His previous publications include The New Model Army in England, Ireland and Scotland, 1645-1653, and The English Revolution and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, 1638-1652.

List of Illustrations
Abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Foreword
The Unknown Oliver
Parliamentary Extremist
Apprenticeship to War
The Army New Modelled
War by Other Means, 1646-48
Revolution, Regicide, Republic
Twice-born Oliver
The Levellers and Ireland
Dunbar to Worcester: the Crowning Mercy
A Greedy Puritan? Oliver Cromwell and Money
Our Chief of Men
King in All but Name? Lord Protector 1654-58
Horse Breeder and Patron of the Arts? Poetry, Painting, Performance and Political Thought under the Protectorate
Quietus: Death, Funeral, Legacy
Notes
Further Reading
Index