The Making of Oliver Cromwell

The first volume in a pioneering account of Oliver Cromwell—providing a major new interpretation of one of the greatest figures in history

“Hutton’s book is intelligent, well documented, and stylish.”—Keith Thomas, New York Review of Books

The Making of Oliver Cromwell by Ronald Hutton explores the life of Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658), the only English commoner to become the overall head of state. Cromwell is one of history's great figures, yet his character was profoundly complex. He was simultaneously courageous and devout, devious and self-serving. As a parliamentarian, he was passionately devoted to his cause; as a soldier, he was ruthlessly efficient. His speeches and writings surpass in quantity those of any other ruler of England before Victoria, and he has often been taken at his word by those seeking to understand him.

In this remarkable new work, Hutton untangles the facts from the fiction surrounding Cromwell. Pursuing his devotion to God while securing his Puritan support base, Cromwell rapidly transformed from an obscure provincial figure to a military victor. By the end of the first English Civil War, he stood poised to seize power. Hutton reveals a man who was sincere in his faith yet deliberate in his deceit, illuminating the inner workings of a figure who has puzzled biographers for centuries.