Cromwell's Head (Hardcover)

by Jonathan Fitzgibbons (Author)
Key Phrases: triple tree, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector, Westminster Hall (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
'Pardon such as desire to trample upon the dust of a poor worm, for they are thy people too.'

Oliver Cromwell's generous sentiments were to be sorely tested by vengeful royalists after his death. Exhumed from his vault in Westminster Abbey, the former Lord Protector was hung with other dead regicides on Tyburn's 'Triple Tree' before being decapitated - launching his head upon three centuries of extraordinary adventures. From a traitor's pole outside Westminster Hall to the serious study of 'cranial detectives' - not to mention drunken actors and French revolutionaries along the way - the macabre talisman fascinated all those who encountered it.

Cromwell's Head tells the story of the head's remarkable journey, blending gruesome humor with a compelling portrait of the great parliamentarian in life. It explores his many talents and intriguing contradictions - country gentleman and farmer, brilliant military commander and cavalry leader, loving father and stern Puritan - and pays tribute to the passionate politician who sought to be remembered 'warts and all' by those he came to serve.

About the Author
Jonathan Fitzgibbons studied Modern History as an undergraduate at Balliol College, Oxford, obtaining a First Class degree. He has published articles on the Cromwellian Protectorate and was winner of the Cromwell Association Essay Prize in 2005. He is currently writing a doctoral thesis on Cromwell and the final years of the Protectorate, from his refusal of the Crown and lavish state funeral to the manipulation of his image and reputation after death.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: National Archives (November 11, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1905615388
• ISBN-13: 978-1905615384
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #869,702 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Richly Fascinating Account, November 2, 2008

By	R. J. Marsella (California) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This title is widely available in the UK. Oliver Cromwell went from being the hero of the Revolution to being a reviled regicide following the restoration. He died of natural causes but the public clamor for revenge was so strong that his body was dug up and hung along with others who participated in the execution of Charles I. The heads were then separated from the embalmed bodies and displayed over Westminster. A strong storm knocked Cromwell's head from it's perch and the author does well in tracing it's movement over the centuries through many hands.
Wonderfully mixing this account of the head with history and anecdotes about many of the fascinating characters that were involved in this story, the author has written a highly readable and hugely entertaining book.
A NOTE_ The Author's name is Jonathan Fitzgibbons- not Stuart Charles as listed above. Strange that the name listed as Author is the reverse of the King Cromwell replaced -Charles Stuart or Charles I. Curious how that happened.