Should Cromwell Have Declared Himself King?

In my opinion, Cromwell should have just pulled a Napoleon and declared himself King. We can all see what happened when Charles I was overthrown and the country was about to descend into chaos. It took a man with the strength of character of Cromwell to restore law and order, revive the disintegrating power of the state and ensure that lives could return to normality. Cromwell's suppression of the trouble-making Levellers and other such dissenters helped to ensure a climate of peace and moderate prosperity, and it is a shame he died before he could see his reforms to their logical conclusion. Cromwell's death led to near-anarchy before the ruling class saw little choice but to bring the King back. Cromwell may as well have declared himself king.

Reply 1

JoeL1994

Original post by Cato the Elder

I have a feeling declaring that through Cromwell declaring himself King, the only result would have been external threats from the ruling monarchs of Europe at the time. God given right still being important at that stage, it would have been unthinkable for the other European ruling families to have their right threatened by this example of a 'commoner' making himself King.

Reply 2

TheNote

Cromwell basically made himself king in all but name, he declared his son to be his hier and everything.

Reply 3

username402722

Original post by TheNote

Cromwell basically made himself king in all but name, he declared his son to be his hier and everything.

I think that Lord Protector was king in all but name as well. The legacy that he and his followers left us still haunts us today, I believe. Together with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert I see him as the source of many of our emotional issues (repressed emotions, drinking culture, general puritan attitudes).

Reply 4

Kwaks

Original post by TheNote

Cromwell basically made himself king in all but name, he declared his son to be his hier and everything.

I agree with this point, he was the monarch in all but name. He just couldn't afford to have the official title of 'king' since he would lose support from the New Model Army.

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Reply 5

Torquemada

Original post by barnetlad

That is completely insane. The Protectorate lasted for 6 years over 350 years ago. How could it result in the current culture or our "emotional issues"?

Also the more Calvinist and low Church elements that made up signicant portions of Cromwellians were opposed to drinking.

Also what Puritan attitudes that we once had have long gone. We top most countries in many ways in being degenerate, sex obsessed, rude, sweary, etc.

Reply 6

MagicNMedicine

Henry VIII should have declared himself Pope like a boss.

Reply 7

XxKingSniprxX

Original post by Cato the Elder

OMG not A2 History *Flashback* ... Archbishop Laud + ship tax = civil war ... Charles execution .... Putney debates ... Rump parliament ... Lord protectorate era .... something to do with Military general districts .... Cromwell dies & his son Richard comes to power .... lack of legitimacy ... Charles son comes back to power but a stronger parliament i.e power to the people. <----- Summarised my A2 History just about 7 months ago Hahah still remember it all.

Thank god I got a B overall. #Neveragain

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 8