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Oliver Cromwell
He went to war to limit royal power, signed the king's death warrant, and ended up with more authority than any English monarch before him — a contradiction he never satisfactorily resolved.
1599–1658
Life Journey
From provincial gentry to revolutionary ruler
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1599
Humble beginnings
Oliver Cromwell was born into a modest gentry family, growing up without great wealth but with strong religious influences shaping his outlook.
