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Historical person
1626–1712
Richard Cromwell was the third surviving son of Oliver Cromwell and Elizabeth Bourchier. He succeeded his father as Lord Protector in 1658 but lacked a secure power base in the army and was unable to reconcile its senior officers with civilian government. He resigned in May 1659, and the collapse of the Protectorate contributed to the restoration of Charles II the following year.
After the Restoration, Richard spent many years abroad before returning quietly to England. Historical fiction often uses him to explore the uncertain aftermath of republican rule, the danger faced by the Cromwell family and the contrast between inherited office and personal inclination. Claims about secret political missions after 1660 should be distinguished from his documented withdrawal from public life.
In Andrew Taylor’s The Last Protector, Richard Cromwell, the former Lord Protector and son of Oliver Cromwell, has secretly returned to England despite the danger posed by the restored monarchy.
Series
Andrew Taylor’s Restoration series follows James Marwood, the son of a former Fifth Monarchist who becomes a government clerk and investigator, and Cat Lovett, the daughter of a regicide who rebuilds her life as an architect. Beginning with the Great Fire of London in 1666, their separate paths…
All books in this series
