Was Oliver Cromwell a hero or villain? | English Civil War

Summary

The video script explores the complex legacy of Oliver Cromwell, debating whether he was a hero or a villain. It acknowledges Cromwell's role in freeing Britain from monarchy and establishing a government by and for the people, while also condemning his brutal actions in Ireland and other parts of the British Empire. The discussion highlights the challenges of judging historical figures by modern standards, emphasizing the need to understand their context and motivations.

Takeaways

• 🎵 Music: The video begins and ends with music.
• 🤔 Difficult Question: The discussion revolves around whether Lenin was a hero or a villain.
• 🗣️ Cromwell's Views: Cromwell had controversial views on Catholics, leading to bloodshed and murder.
• 🏛️ British Rule: Cromwell demonstrated that Britain could be ruled without a king or an established church.
• 📜 John Milton: Despite changing his mind later, John Milton initially supported Cromwell's new order.
• ⚖️ Commonwealth: Cromwell's rule promoted a government for and almost by the people.
• 🛡️ Major Generals: Cromwell's use of military governors led to accusations of military occupation.
• 🤝 Local Cooperation: Cromwell needed the cooperation of local elites to govern effectively.
• 📅 Historical Context: Cromwell's actions should be understood within the context of the 17th century.
• 🩸 Atrocities in Ireland: Cromwell's conduct in Ireland was brutal and led to lasting tensions.
• 🎖️ High Stakes: The conflicts were seen as battles of divine significance, with severe punishments for perceived wrongdoings.
• 🔙 Historical Repercussions: Cromwell and his supporters faced harsh retribution after the monarchy was restored.

Q & A

Was Lenin a hero or a villain according to the speaker?

The speaker does not explicitly label Lenin as a hero or a villain but suggests that he freed the Russian people from centuries of oppression.

What were some of Oliver Cromwell's views that the speaker finds reprehensible?

The speaker mentions that Cromwell had reprehensible views about Catholics, which resulted in bloodshed and murder.

What significant achievement is attributed to Cromwell in the script?

Cromwell is credited with showing that it was possible for the British nation to rule without the formal need for kingship or an established church.

How did John Milton initially feel about the new order established by Cromwell?

John Milton was initially quite happy and even venerated the new order, although he changed his mind towards the end.

What was the role of the major generals in Cromwell's England, as mentioned in the script?

The major generals had a role in governing, but the speaker argues that the idea of England being under military occupation is not an accurate account. They were pursuing godly rule and needed the cooperation of local elites.

What does the speaker suggest about Churchill's actions in comparison to Cromwell?

The speaker suggests that Churchill, despite receiving positive press, also committed terrible acts in the Indian subcontinent and the Northeast, similar to the issues Cromwell faced.

How does the speaker describe Cromwell's conduct in Ireland?

The speaker describes Cromwell's conduct in Ireland as atrocities and suggests it has lasting impacts, such as contributing to the current issues with a hard border between Ireland and the UK.

What was the fate of Cromwell and the Regicides after the return of the monarchy?

Cromwell and the Regicides, who put Charles I on trial and signed the death warrant, were either executed or disinterred and had their bodies desecrated after the return of the monarchy in the 1660s.

What is the speaker's view on the role of historians when evaluating historical figures like Cromwell?

The speaker believes that historians should not give marks out of ten but try to understand the project of the historical figures, acknowledging that their actions may be reprehensible by today's standards.

What high stakes were at play during Cromwell's time, according to the speaker?

The speaker suggests that during Cromwell's time, the stakes were extremely high, with the presence of God in the land and the belief that wrong actions would be punished.

Outlines

00:00

😐 Complex Legacy of Lenin and Cromwell

The script discusses the complex nature of historical figures, specifically Lenin and Cromwell, and their impact on society. It questions whether Lenin was a hero or a villain, highlighting his role in liberating the Russian people from the oppressive rule of the czars. Cromwell is portrayed as a man of his time, with both commendable and reprehensible actions. His legacy includes the establishment of a government that did not rely on monarchy or an established church, which was revolutionary for his era. The script also addresses the negative aspects of Cromwell's rule, such as the role of major generals and the brutal treatment of Ireland, which has lasting implications for current political issues. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding historical figures within their context rather than judging them by modern standards.

Keywords

💡Lenin

Lenin, or Vladimir Lenin, was the leader of the Bolshevik Revolution and the first head of the Soviet state. He is a central figure in the video's discussion about whether historical figures are heroes or villains due to his role in overthrowing the Russian monarchy and establishing a communist state. The script mentions him in the context of his actions and the debate over his legacy.

💡Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell was a political and military leader in 17th-century England who played a key role in the English Civil War and the subsequent establishment of a republican Commonwealth. The video discusses his legacy, highlighting his actions as both a liberator from monarchy and a figure with a controversial and violent past, especially in relation to his rule in Ireland.

💡Antichrist

In the script, 'Antichrist' is used metaphorically to describe the perceived enemy during Cromwell's time, which justified extreme measures in the pursuit of victory. It reflects the religious and ideological conflicts of the period and Cromwell's role in them.

💡Commonwealth

The term 'Commonwealth' in the script refers to the republican form of government established by Cromwell in England after the dissolution of the monarchy. It symbolizes a government that, in theory, was for and by the people, contrasting with the traditional monarchical rule.

💡John Milton

John Milton was an English poet and intellectual who initially supported the Commonwealth under Cromwell, as mentioned in the script. His initial approval of the new order underscores the complexity of historical figures' reception and the evolving nature of political thought.

💡Major Generals

The 'Major Generals' were military governors appointed by Cromwell to oversee regions in England during the Commonwealth. The script discusses the controversy surrounding their rule, suggesting a military occupation but also indicating the necessity of local cooperation.

💡Godly rule

In the context of the video, 'Godly rule' refers to the idea that political power should be exercised in accordance with religious principles. It was a driving force behind the actions of Cromwell and other figures of the time, as they sought to align governance with their religious beliefs.

💡Churchill

Winston Churchill, mentioned in the script, was a British statesman known for his leadership during World War II. The video draws a parallel between Churchill's controversial actions in the Indian subcontinent and Cromwell's in Ireland, illustrating the complexities of historical figures' legacies.

💡Regicides

The 'Regicides' were the individuals who signed the death warrant for the execution of Charles I. The script uses them as an example of high-stakes political actions with severe consequences, including their own executions or desecration of their bodies after the monarchy's restoration.

💡Hard border

The 'hard border' refers to the contentious issue of a physical boundary between Ireland and the UK, which the script connects to Cromwell's brutal impact on Ireland. It shows how historical events, such as Cromwell's actions, continue to influence present-day geopolitical issues.

💡Imperial project

The term 'imperial project' in the script refers to the expansionist and colonial endeavors of a nation, such as Cromwell's in Ireland and Jamaica. It is used to critique the moral implications of such historical actions and to encourage understanding of their long-term effects.

Highlights

Difficult question of whether Lenin was a hero or villain, highlighting his role in freeing Russians from oppression but also his controversial views and actions.

Cromwell's historical significance as a man of his times with some reprehensible views, especially towards Catholics, resulting in bloodshed.

Cromwell demonstrated that the British nation could rule without a kingship or established church, an impressive achievement.

John Milton initially venerated the new order under Cromwell, indicating its acceptance among intellectuals of the time.

Cromwell's Commonwealth argued for government by and for the people, a radical idea for the period.

Criticism of Cromwell often focuses on the role of major generals and perceived military occupation, but this view is not entirely accurate.

Governors under Cromwell pursued godly rule, working with local elites for political power, a common practice of the time.

Cromwell's actions, while seen as reprehensible today, were typical for a 17th-century figure dealing with difficult and pressing issues.

The brutal Cromwellian conduct in Ireland had lasting impacts, contributing to current issues with a hard border between Ireland and the UK.

Understanding Cromwell's impact on Ireland can provide insights into the present, highlighting the importance of historical context.

Cromwell and the Regicides faced severe consequences after the return of the monarchy, including execution and desecration.

The high stakes of the period, with God's presence in the land and divine punishment for wrong actions, shaped the actions of figures like Cromwell.

Historians should aim to understand the projects of figures like Cromwell rather than simply assigning moral judgments.

The imperial project in Ireland and Jamaica under Cromwell is not one we would pursue today, but understanding it is crucial for historical context.

Cromwell's legacy is complex, with both positive achievements and negative actions that must be considered in historical analysis.

Transcripts

[Music]

I think that's a really difficult

question yeah was Lenin a hero or

villain he frayed the Russian people

from centuries of oppression from the

czars Cromwell was a man of his times

and had some pretty reprehensible views

about Catholics which resulted in

bloodshed and murder there's no doubt

about that

but in terms of the times if you're

fighting the Antichrist you can't you

know have a boxing match you have to win

and you Cromwell showed that it was

possible for the British nation to rule

without the formal need of kingship or

an established church and that that's a

pretty impressive thing to have achieved

and the fact that a man as rigorous as

John Milton was quite happy in although

he changed his mind towards the end but

quite happy to venerate this new order

it was a Commonwealth it was an argument

that said government was for the people

and almost by the people now the great

things that are thrust against

Cromwell's reputation is the role of the

major generals you know if you read the

wrong pamphlet England is under military

occupation but that's not really an

accurate account they did in fact have

governors who were military figures but

they were pursuing the same old phrase

Godley rule and all forms of political

power at this period worked by brokerage

you couldn't just turn up even if you

were the New Model Army and occupy and

make people do things you had to have

the cooperation of local elites and

local figures so Cromwell I believe is

one of those tricky figures you know

Churchill gets a lot of

positive press but he did terrible

things in the Indian subcontinent and in

the Northeast and he set the troops on

unions Cromwell had it precisely those

sorts of problems he had to deal with

difficult and pressing issues and he

dealt with them in the way a 17th

century person would which to us is very

very reprehensible and and certainly the

Cromwellian conduct in Ireland they were

atrocities and you know if you if you

want to look into the past to learn a

little bit about the present

understanding the Cromwellian impact on

Ireland is why the issue of a hard

border between Ireland and the the UK

now is such a problematic one because

that was so brutal now I'm not making

excuses for cromwell and i think in one

sense it's not the role of the historian

to give people marks out of ten but to

try and understand what their project

was we can say that you know an imperial

project in ireland or even in the

Jamaica's is not a very good one and

that we wouldn't pursue it today but it

happened so we need to understand why it

happened yeah we should always remember

as well that Cromwell and the Regicides

all of those figures who put Charles the

first on trial and sign the death

warrant were of course either executed

or disinterred and had their bodies

desecrated by the return of the Royal

monarchy in the 1660s so these people

were pretty unpleasant as well you know

what we always forget is were playing

for very high stakes God was in the land

or not and if you did the wrong thing

you got punished

[Music]