Product Description

Cromwell spent only nine months of his eventful life in Ireland, yet he stands accused there of war crimes, religious persecution and ethnic cleansing. The massacre of thousands of soldiers and civilians by the New Model Army at both Drogheda and Wexford in 1649 must rank among the greatest atrocities in Anglo-Irish history: a tale that makes decidedly uncomfortable reading for those keen to focus on Cromwell's undoubted military and political achievements elsewhere.In a century of unrelenting, bloody warfare and religious persecution throughout Europe, Cromwell was, in many ways, a product of his times. As commander-in-chief of the army in Ireland, however, the responsibilities for the excesses of the military must be laid firmly at his door, while the harsh nature of the post-war settlement also bears his personal imprint. Cromwell was no monster, but he did commit monstrous acts. A warrior of Christ, somewhat like the crusaders of medieval Europe, he acted as God's executioner, convinced throughout the horrors of the legitimacy of his cause, and striving to build a better world for the chosen few. He remains, therefore, a remarkably modern figure, somebody to be closely studied and understood, rather than simply revered or reviled.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #201685 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 316 pages

About the Author
Micheal O Siochru is a native of Dublin, lectures in history at Trinity College, Dublin and has written extensively on seventeenth-century Ireland. His publications include Confederate Ireland 1642-1649: A constitutional and political analysis (Dublin, 1999) and Kingdoms in crisis: Ireland in the 1640s (Dublin, 2001).

Customer Reviews

Tinted History
This book does not provide us with anything new as regards to some Irish attitudes to Cromwell, it merely repeats what has gone before. Its style is the new instant history, written for 'television' varity that is so common today.Expressions like 'well known bigot' are hardly expressions you expect to find in serious history books,well I don't anyway!He cherry picks his sources to suit his arguement,it is also a bit short on notes.
He is making the mistake that so many Irish historians have a habit of making, he has forgotten to take his 'green tinted glasses' off.If you want your history in black & white this is the book for you.But history does not come in black or white(or Orange & Geen for that matter),but shades of grey.Cromwell was a man of his time with all that implies.In the Ireland of the 1640's and 50's no ones hands were clean.Also is does show that a history degree or even a doctorate does not nessicerly make one a good historian.

Biased account
For a more balanced account, see historian Tom Reilly's book, Cromwell: an honourable enemy. The untold story of the Cromwellian invasion of Ireland. He finds that, contrary to the myth, Cromwell did not indiscriminately massacre ordinary unarmed Irish people.

Before he started the campaign, Cromwell issued a proclamation, "I do hereby warn ... all Officers, Soldiers and others under my command not to do any wrong or violence towards Country People or persons whatsoever, unless they be actually in arms or office with the enemy ... as they shall answer to the contrary at their utmost perils." This was no empty threat: before even reaching Drogheda, Cromwell ordered two of his soldiers to be hanged for stealing hens.

His forces killed the military defenders of Drogheda and Wexford, not the townspeople, acting according to standard 17th-century military norms. There are no eye-witness accounts of indiscriminate slaughter, or of the death of even one unarmed defender or of one woman or child.

After the Restoration, Cromwell was the main target of political and religious attack. The Royalists attacked him on everything, especially the Irish campaign. Irish nationalists, Catholic publicists and infantile leftists assisted with fabrications and propaganda. The Irish bishops lied that Cromwell's religious policies could not be `effected without the massacring or banishment of the Catholic inhabitants', so the propagandists had to allege the massacres.

History is not a matter of opinion, or of repeating allegations without investigation. We are obliged to use evidence, primary sources, and eye-witness accounts, and we are duty-bound to stick to the verified facts, at whatever cost to our previous judgements.

Solid Overview
This is a period of history that I am not very familiar with so I found this book to be exceptionally useful in providing a well structured, comprehensive and balanced overview of the period. In contrast with the first reviewer I found the author to be very even handed when distributing both criticisms and praise. The book made me want to explore this period in greater detail, especially the various sieges, which to my mind is the sign of a good book - it inspires the reader to explore the topic further. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with a general interest in the period who wishes to get to grips with the issues and players of this complex period of Irish history. As an aside I read this book immediately after the magesterial 4 volume history of the Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan and God's Executioner was not found wanting in comparison with Kagans masterwork.