Oliver Cromwell

Cromwell receives authority to raise volunteer companies in Cambridgeshire.

Cromwell musters a troop of horse for Parliament's army.

Cromwell receives authority to command a troop of horse raised around Huntingdon.

Cromwell commands a troop of Parliamentarian horse during the Edgehill campaign.

Cromwell begins recruiting cavalry selected for discipline and religious commitment.

Cromwell warns Parliament about possible Royalist and Catholic mobilisation in Monmouthshire.

Cromwell defeats a larger Royalist cavalry force near Grantham and strengthens Parliament's position in Lincolnshire.

1st victory for Cromwell & the Eastern association

Leads a successful siege in Northamptonshire against the Countess of Essex

Cromwell helps relieve Gainsborough and drives Royalist cavalry from the field.

Wins a victory over Royalist forces

Parliament issues instructions for the impressment of 22,000 in London & the east

Parliament issues instructions for the impressment of 22,000 in London & the east

Parliament promises to protect Scottish Presbyterianism

Cromwell's cavalry helps defeat Royalist horse at Winceby during the struggle for Lincolnshire.

Cromwell helps lead Parliamentarian cavalry in the victory at Winceby, strengthening Parliament's control of Lincolnshire.

Counties are inefficient for managing armies so County Associations are formed

Counties are inefficient for managing armies so County Associations are formed

Signs the Covenant enabling him to take up the position of Lieutenant Colonel

Cromwell receives command of the Eastern Association cavalry and develops the disciplined mounted force later associated with his military reputation.

Cromwell commands Eastern Association cavalry as Parliament and the Scots defeat Prince Rupert.

Sweeps away Gorings horse by attacking the Royalists from the rear. Defeats the Royalists near York, leaving 4,000 dead & taking 1,500 prisoners. Cromwell's first major victory, personally commands 2,500 men

Cromwell commands the Parliamentarian left-wing cavalry and helps turn the fighting at Marston Moor into a decisive Royalist defeat.

Resumes the siege of York after victory at Marston Moor

Leads the "Ironsides" & captures York

Commander of "Ironsides" during Parliaments capture of Newcastle

Cromwell criticises missed opportunities after the Parliamentarian attack fails to destroy the king's army.

Cromwell fights at Second Newbury and later urges a stronger pursuit of the withdrawing Royalist army.

Advises a military defeat of the King after Manchester fails to persue him in battle

Cromwell criticises Manchester's conduct of the war and presses Parliament for a more vigorous military strategy.

Helps form an alliance between Scotland & Parliament

Appointed Member of Committee of Both Kingdoms

Appointed Leader of the Independents

Leads an Army sect demanding religious toleration & prosecution of criminals

Appointed 2nd-in-Command of the Parliamentary Army

Appointed Lieutenant General of the Horse & Foot. Appointed 2nd-in-Command for Manchester

The Royalists are defeated in the West, only Oxford remains as a serious threat. Sir Ralph Hopton signs articles of surrender at Exeter

Removes the existing Generals

Fairfax succeeds Essex as Captain General & Cromwell becomes Lt General

Appointed 2nd-in-Command of the New Model Army under Sir Thomas Fairfax

Removes the existing Generals. Creates a New Model Army becoming 2nd-in-Command under Sir Thomas Fairfax. All MPs except Cromwell must relinquish military commissions within 40 days

Cromwell routs a detachment of Royalist horse at Islip during his raid against the king's artillery train.

Defeated in battle by the Earl of Norwich, George Goring

Royalist forces under Goring damage part of Cromwell's regiment near Faringdon after his Oxfordshire raid.

Charles I and Goring evade Parliamentarian forces and leave Oxford during the campaigning season.

Advances toward Kenilworth before parliamentary orders redirect forces during the Oxford operations.

Joins Fairfax near Nuneham as Parliamentarian forces press operations around Oxford.

Serves with Fairfax near Oxford as Parliamentarian forces try to contain Charles I's army.

Wins victory over the Scots under Hamilton. The 1st Battle over which Cromwell has independent command

Arrives in Cambridge to gather horse and reinforce the Eastern Association before rejoining the main campaign.

The Commons approves Cromwell's appointment as 2nd in Command of the New Model Army

Cromwell moves toward Fairfax before the Naseby campaign as Parliament concentrates forces against Charles I.

Cromwell joins forces with Fairfax & Parliament has an Army of more than 13,000 men

Commands Parliamentarian cavalry on the right and helps Fairfax defeat the king's main field army.

Parliamentary victory, Charles has 7,500 men & Parliamentary forces number 13,500. Contributes to Charles downfall & the ascendancy of Cromwell & the independents

Cromwell commands the New Model Army's horse at Naseby and turns his victorious cavalry against the Royalist infantry.

After defeating the Royalist cavalry, Cromwell redirects his horsemen against the Royalist foot and helps decide the battle.

Establishes quarters around Holton while preparing pressure on the Royalist capital at Oxford.

Cromwell's cavalry contributes to Parliament's victory over Goring's forces at Langport.

Cromwell routs Dorsetshire clubmen at Hambledon Hill

Cromwell helps command Parliamentarian assaults on Bristol's defences.

Prince Rupert is forced to return to Oxford, his forces intact. Defeats Prince Rupert & captures Bristol

Defeats Prince Rupert & captures Bristol

Commands part of the Parliamentarian assault around Prior's Hill fort during the storming of Bristol.

Defeats Prince Rupert & captures Bristol

Cromwell captures Devizes

Cromwell captures Winchester

Present at Stapleton near Fairfax's headquarters during Parliament's siege of Bristol.

Present near Keynsham during Parliament's siege operations against Bristol.

Secures the last major obstacle between London & the West Country. Defeats the Marquise of Winchester

Cromwell storms Basing House and ends one of the strongest Royalist garrisons in southern England.

Cromwell takes part in the storming of Basing House, removing a major Royalist stronghold controlling routes west of London.

Leads the Independents, a sect demanding religious toleration & prosecution of the war

The New Model Army is created by Oliver Cromwell & Thomas Fairfax. The Committee of Both Kingdoms recommends a new army of 22,000 run by Parliament. Persuades Parliament to adopt a new militia, maintained by impressment & taxation. Modeled after Cromwell's Ironsides

Helps blockade Oxford to prevent Charles I joining forces with Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice.

Oxford agrees surrender terms with Fairfax, ending the Royalist capital's resistance.

Cromwell is associated with the Army leadership as officers and Agitators commit the Army not to disband until soldiers' pay, indemnity and political security are addressed

Cromwell acts among the Army Grandees as the New Model Army refuses disbandment on Parliament's terms and insists that the soldiers' political and military grievances must be settled

Cromwell supports the Heads of the Proposals as a moderate Army settlement that would preserve limited monarchy while securing parliamentary and religious safeguards

Enters London with an Army & forces Parliament to take him & the other MPs back

Cromwell chairs the Army Council at Putney for the Grandees, attempting to preserve Army unity while allowing Agitators and Leveller advisers to present their constitutional demands

Cromwell argues that the meeting should receive the radicals' proposals in orderly fashion so that the Army can judge their intentions and preserve unity

Cromwell chairs the opening session because Fairfax is absent and invites officers, soldiers and civilian advisers to speak on the public settlement after the First Civil War

Cromwell seeks to manage the dispute over the Agreement of the People, allowing the radicals to speak while trying to preserve Army unity and prevent a break with constitutional order

Cromwell urges caution over breaking with monarchy, reflecting the Grandees' preference for a controlled settlement with Charles I rather than immediate adoption of the Leveller programme

Cromwell discusses the King's negative voice and treats kingship as contractual, while resisting proposals that would immediately overthrow the monarchy

Cromwell joins the effort to have proposals refined by committee, aiming to turn the dispute over the Agreement into a controlled constitutional programme

Cromwell supports ending the open Army Council debates after the Agitators' demands threaten discipline and expose deep division between radical soldiers and senior officers

Cromwell backs suspension of the Army Council meetings because the Grandees fear that continued debate over the King and the Agreement will damage military discipline

Cromwell helps restore discipline at the Corkbush Field rendezvous after soldiers resist the Army Council's settlement, resulting in arrests and the execution of a mutineer

Cromwell helps enforce the Grandees' settlement at the Corkbush Field rendezvous, suppressing Leveller-influenced resistance and restoring discipline within the New Model Army

Cromwell suppresses Leveller-influenced resistance at the Corkbush Field rendezvous, restoring Army discipline after soldiers reject the Grandees' settlement and display slogans for England's freedom and soldiers' rights

Orders the abduction of Charles II at Holmby

Flees Parliament & joins an Army with 100 members of the House of Commons

Cromwell defeats the Engager army and breaks the main Royalist threat in the Second Civil War.

Cromwell attacks the Scottish Engager army near Preston and begins the three-day campaign that destroys the invasion supporting Charles I.

Fighting in the fields outside the town of Preston, the English Parliamentarian forces of Oliver Cromwell inflict a major reverse on the Anglo-Scottish Royalist army of the Duke of Hamilton

Fighting in the fields outside the town of Preston, the English Parliamentarian forces of Oliver Cromwell inflict a major reverse on the Anglo-Scottish Royalist army of the Duke of Hamilton

Divisions emerge culminating in Prides Purge when, under the orders of Oliver Cromwell's son-in-law Henry Ireton, Colonel Pride physically bars about half of the members of Parliament from taking their seats

Divisions emerge culminating in Prides Purge when, under the orders of Oliver Cromwell's son-in-law Henry Ireton, Colonel Pride physically bars about half of the members of Parliament from taking their seats

In the wake of the ejections from the Long Parliament, the remnant, the Rump Parliament, arranges for the trial and execution of Charles I

In the wake of the ejections from the Long Parliament, the remnant, the Rump Parliament, arranges for the trial and execution of Charles I

Cromwell helps suppress the Leveller-linked mutiny at Burford after army units resist orders and challenge the authority of their commanders.

The Rump Parliament is responsible for the setting up of the Commonwealth of England

The Rump Parliament is responsible for the setting up of the Commonwealth of England

Cromwells 8000 men eventually take the town from its 1000 Irish defenders, but not before they suffer heavy losses

Succeeds Fairfax as captain-general and commander in chief before the Scottish campaign.

Writes that lying outside Dunbar is consuming the army as sickness spreads before battle.

Defeats David Leslie's Scottish army at Dunbar and opens the route to Edinburgh.

Begins operations around Edinburgh after victory at Dunbar weakens Scottish resistance in the south.

Edinburgh Castle surrenders to Parliamentarian forces after Cromwell's army occupies southern Scotland.

Perth surrenders after Cromwell's advance cuts the Scottish army from supplies and reinforcements.

Joins forces with Lambert and Harrison at Warwick during the pursuit of Charles II.

Cromwell tightens the Parliamentarian encirclement, leaving Charles II increasingly confined around Worcester and unable to continue toward London.

Arrives near Evesham south-east of Worcester with the army preparing to close on Charles II.

Cromwell positions Parliamentarian artillery on the heights around Red Hill and Perry Wood east of Worcester.

Cromwell's artillery begins bombarding Worcester from positions around Perry Wood as the Parliamentarian siege lines tighten.

Cromwell leads a Parliamentarian army of about thirty thousand against Charles II's smaller Royalist and Scottish force at Worcester.

Cromwell's forces turn captured guns at Fort Royal against Worcester as Royalist resistance disintegrates.

Parliamentarian troops seize Fort Royal during Cromwell's final assault, breaking a major part of Worcester's south-eastern defence.

Cromwell personally leads three brigades across the Severn pontoon to reinforce the Parliamentarian attack west of the river.

Cromwell's brigades strike the Scottish flank while Fleetwood presses from the front, forcing the defenders away from the Teme.

Cromwell reinforces the eastern fighting after Charles II's counterattack threatens Parliamentarian positions around Perry Wood.

Cromwell reports the total defeat of the Royalist army and describes the victory at Worcester as a crowning mercy.

Cromwell releases newly raised local forces after the victory, reducing the military burden on counties that had answered Parliament's call.

Cromwell orders Worcester's walls pulled down and its defensive ditches filled after the Parliamentarian victory.

Thousands of Royalist prisoners are gathered at Worcester Cathedral while Cromwell's army secures the city after the battle.

Cromwell prepares floating bridges across the Severn and Teme so his separated wings can support one another during the assault.