Richard Cromwell | |
|---|---|
,_by_Gerard_Soest.jpg) Portrait by Gerard Soest | |
| Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland | |
| In office 3 September 1658 – 25 May 1659 | |
| Preceded by | Oliver Cromwell |
| Succeeded by | Council of State |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 October 1626 Huntingdon, Huntingdonshire, England |
| Died | 12 July 1712 (aged 85) Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England |
| Spouse | |
| Relations | Robert Cromwell (grandfather) |
| Children | See list
|
| Parents |
|
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | New Model Army |
| Years of service | 1647 |
Richard Cromwell (4 October 1626 – 12 July 1712) was an English statesman, the second and final Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland and the son of the first Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell.
Following his father's death in 1658, Richard became Lord Protector, but he lacked authority. He tried to mediate between the army and civil society, and allowed a Parliament that contained many disaffected Presbyterians and Royalists to sit. Suspicions that civilian councillors were intent on supplanting the army peaked in an attempt to prosecute a major-general for actions against a Royalist. The army made a threatening demonstration of force against Richard, and may have had him in detention. He formally renounced power only nine months after succeeding.
Though a Royalist revolt was crushed by the recalled civil war figure General John Lambert, who subsequently prevented the Rump Parliament from reconvening and created a Committee of Safety, Lambert found his troops melted away in the face of General George Monck's advance from Scotland. Monck then presided over the Restoration of 1660. Cromwell went into exile on the Continent, living in relative obscurity for the remainder of his life. He ultimately returned to his English estate and died thirty years later at the age of 85. Cromwell was the longest-lived British head of state for three centuries, until Elizabeth II, who died aged 96.