Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 – 3 September 1658) was an English military and political leader. He served as Lord-Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1653 until his death, acting simultaneously as head of state and head of government of the newly-formed "republic".

Oliver was born into the middle gentry to a family descended from the sister of King Henry VIII's minister Thomas Cromwell. Not much is known of the first 40 years of his life, especially considering only four of his personal letters still survive along with a summary of a speech that he delivered in 1628.