h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Bob,

I'm subbing your entry "Oliver Cromwell" at A45871040.

I've a question. You say "That meant for 402 years, only 25 of the male population had the right to vote." -- did you mean 25% by any chance?

Yes 25% is correct

Bob, you talk about the massacres of Drogheda and Wexford, but you don't explain what Cromwell was doing in Ireland. Could you please write a paragraph or two explaining why the New Model Army had to come to Ireland and fight against the Irish?

I've added the following sentence to the section on the massacre at Drogheda. I hope you approve:

"Indeed, the average Irish man in the street would consider Cromwell to be competing with the likes of Hitler and Stalin for the 'Most Evil Man in History' awards."

Thanks for the work Gnomon

I will do the paragraph tonight.

Indeed, the average Irish man in the street would consider Cromwell to be competing with the likes of Hitler and Stalin for the 'Most Evil Man in History' awards

average Irish man Protestant or Catholic ??? getting into an area I have tried to avoid. If it has to be said how about something like this...


Indeed, there may be many in Ireland who would consider Cromwell to be competing with the likes of Hitler and Stalin for one of the 'Most Evil Men in History' awards


Any better

Hows this


The Civil War in England was over but there was still fighting in Ireland. Colonel Michael Jones was one of the commanders in Ireland and was able to defeat the Royalist army led by the Marquis of Ormond at Rathmines in March of 1649. When Cromwell and his army arrived they landed un challenged at Dublin. Cromwell proceded to deal with the pockets of Royalist resistance located in the cities.


I hope it wil be alright.

"The Scots were now allied to the king and despite his personal appeal to the General Assembly of the Church Of Scotland, Cromwell decided war was unavoidable."

I don't know whether it was the king who personally appealed to the General Assembly, or if it was Cromwell.

it was Cromwell.

"At first the invasion went badly as the Scots had an able leader David Leslie"

Is this the Scots invasion of ENgland, that you've already mentioned? Or is it Cromwell invading Scotland? THere's something missing here.

Cromwell made a personal appeal to the General Assembly of the Church Of Scotland, but despite this, he decided that war was unavoidable.

how about this


At first the English invasion of Scotland went badly as the Scots army had an able leader in David Leslie, and Cromwells supply lines were very poor. However the turning point came at Dunbar on 3 September, when Cromwell brought the Scots army to battle. The Scots suffered a devastating defeat and lost 4,000 men killed and 10,000 men were captured. This victory was so important that Cromwell called this victory a 'A high act of the Lord's Providence to us and one of the most signal mercies God hath done for England and His people'.

While Cromwell was engaged in Scotland, a second Scots army marched south into England and headed toward London. Cromwell headed after them and caught them at Worcester on 3 September, 1651. The Scots army was smashed and many were taken prisoner; those who did not perish in captivity were deported to Barbados. Cromwell's general in Scotland George Monk took Dundee, killing 2,000 of its citizens. This effectively ended what is known as the Third Civil War.


Is that any better

This need work

The New Model Army which was originally set up to centralise the command of the armed forces as possible under a single commander, rather than each unit having a separate idependant commander. Prior to this each regiment could act independatly and was only united only by a common cause. The system basicaiy the same as the armed forces use today.

Any help

"So ended the last sitting of the Rump Parliament." - this is the first reference to the term Rump Parliament. Can you explain when the Parliament started being called the Rump Parliament?

Ok I am on it post later

To add to the explanation of the Rump Parliament I have added to this section



Establishment Of The Rump Parliament To Kill A King, 1649

After the second Civil War, the king's conduct was debated. There were still some who supported him and sought to negotiate a peace with him. This was too much for the army. Led by Thomas Pride, troops marched on Parliament and arrested 45 and excluded a further 146 members from the chamber. This action which came to be known as 'Prides Purge', removed all the members who were sympathetic to the king and who were preventing a trial. The remaing members were refered to as the Rump ParliamentA term first used in 1660.

They allowed the remaining 75 to pass legislation to create a High Court of Justice for the trial of Charles I for treason.

Charles maintained that this court had no lawful authority to judge him. The trial went ahead and the trial commissioners found the king guilty of high treason, as in their own words he was a 'tyrant, traitor, murderer and public enemy'. The warrant to execute the king was issued and Oliver Cromwell was the third of the 59 signatures on the warrant. Charles I was beheaded in front of the Palace of Whitehall Banqueting House on 30 January, 1649.



Is that what you require please comment

Sounds good. I won't get a chance to add it to the entry tonight, but I'll keep working on this over the next few days and perhaps get it finished early next week. Thanks for all your prompt replies, Bob!

thats what PR is about you are doing all the work thanks for the effort sorting ont the text.

This clarification may help


Nottingham Castle was destroyed by Col. John Hutchinson. (one of the men who signed Charles I death warrant) He feared as did the rest of Parliament that the victorious Cromwell would come back from Scotland and occupy castle as a stronghold. There he would raise an even stronger army to march on London and take power away from Parliament, and estadlish himself as ruler of England.