Henry Ireton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Ireton
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Portrait by Robert Walker
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| Lord Deputy of Ireland | |
| In office 1650–1651 |
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| Member of Parliament for Appleby |
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| In office October 1645 – November 1651 † |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1611 (baptised 3 November 1611) Attenborough, Nottinghamshire, England |
| Died | 26 November 1651 (aged 40) Limerick, Ireland |
| Spouse | Bridget Cromwell (1646-his death) |
| Children | 5, including Henry and Bridget |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Oxford |
| Occupation | Political and religious radical, regicide and Parliamentarian soldier |
| Military service | |
| Years of service | 1642–1651 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars | Wars of the Three Kingdoms Edgehill; Gainsborough; First Newbury; Marston Moor; Second Newbury; Naseby; Bristol; Oxford; Maidstone; Colchester; Cromwellian conquest of Ireland Drogheda; Waterford; Limerick |
Henry Ireton (born 1611, died 1651) was an important English general. He fought for the Parliament during the English Civil War. He was also the son-in-law of Oliver Cromwell, a very famous leader of the Parliamentarian army. Ireton died from an illness in November 1651 while fighting in Ireland.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Henry Ireton was the oldest son of German Ireton. He was born in Attenborough, Nottinghamshire, England. He was baptised at St Mary's Church on November 3, 1611.
In 1626, he went to Trinity College, Oxford, a famous university. He earned a degree in 1629. After that, he began studying law.
Henry Ireton in the English Civil War
When the First English Civil War began, Henry Ireton joined the Parliamentarian army. He fought in important battles like the Battle of Edgehill in 1642. He also fought at the Battle of Gainsborough in 1643.
Oliver Cromwell made Ireton a deputy-governor in the Isle of Ely. Ireton also served under the Earl of Manchester. He helped Cromwell accuse the Earl of not being good enough at his job.
Key Battles and Capture
The night before the Battle of Naseby in June 1645, Ireton surprised the Royalist army. He managed to capture many of their soldiers. The next day, Cromwell suggested that Ireton become a commissary-general. This meant he would be in charge of supplies and a part of the army.
Ireton led the left side of the Parliamentarian army. However, his part of the army was broken by a strong attack from Prince Rupert. Ireton was hurt and taken prisoner. But Cromwell's attack saved the day. Cromwell defeated the Royalists and freed the prisoners, including Ireton.
Ireton was also at the siege of Bristol in September 1645. He helped defeat the King's forces. In October 1645, Ireton became a Member of Parliament for Appleby.
Marriage to Bridget Cromwell
On June 15, 1646, Ireton married Bridget Cromwell. She was the oldest daughter of Oliver Cromwell. They got married during the siege of Oxford. This marriage connected Ireton even more closely to Cromwell and his career.
Ireton's Political Ideas
At first, Henry Ireton had moderate political views. During the Putney Debates, he did not agree with extreme ideas. He thought some ideas, like those from the Levellers, were not practical. He wanted to keep the traditional government with a King, a House of Lords, and a House of Commons.
He helped write important proposals for the army. These included "The Heads of the Proposals," which suggested a constitutional monarchy. This meant the King would share power with Parliament. Ireton tried to keep peace between the army and Parliament.
Changing Views on King Charles I
Eventually, Ireton became convinced that King Charles I would not cooperate. After the King tried to escape, Ireton urged Parliament to set up a government without him.
Ireton fought in the Second English Civil War under Thomas Fairfax. He was involved in campaigns in Kent and Essex.
After the King refused the army's final offers, Ireton strongly supported putting him on trial. He helped write the army's statement about the King's trial. He also supported changing Parliament to make it more loyal to the army. Ireton was one of the people who signed the document that ordered King Charles I's execution.
The Irish Campaign and His Death
Henry Ireton's army unit was chosen to go with Cromwell to Ireland. This was part of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Ireton arrived in Dublin in August 1649 with many ships full of soldiers and supplies.
Ireton was made a major-general. After the southern part of Ireland was taken, he became the Lord President of Munster. He also worked to change Irish law to make it more like English law.
Becoming Lord Deputy
In May 1650, Cromwell had to return to England. He left Ireton in charge of the army in Ireland. Ireton became the Lord Deputy of Ireland. His job was to finish taking control of the country.
Ireton was known for his military skill. He faced two main challenges: capturing cities held by Irish and Royalist forces, and dealing with a growing guerrilla war. Irish fighters, called tories, attacked his supply lines. Ireton asked the English Parliament to offer easier surrender terms to Irish Catholics. He hoped this would end their fighting, but Parliament refused.
Sieges and Illness
Ireton began a campaign to secure his supply lines. He then surrounded Waterford and forced it to surrender in August 1650. He used trenches for his siege guns and a fleet to stop supplies from reaching the city.
Ireton then moved to Limerick in October but had to stop the siege because of bad weather. In 1651, Ireton ordered that areas helping the guerrillas should have their food taken away. This policy caused a famine in Ireland.
Ireton returned to Limerick in June 1651. He besieged the city for five months until it surrendered in October 1651. After Limerick was captured, Ireton ordered the hanging of some important people from the city.
The physical demands of his command made Ireton sick. He caught the plague, which was widespread in the town. Henry Ireton died on November 26, 1651. His death was a great loss to the Commonwealth of England.
Family Life
Henry Ireton and his wife, Bridget Cromwell, had one son named Henry (born around 1652). They also had four daughters. One daughter, Bridget Bendish, was later involved in a political plot. After Ireton's death, his widow Bridget married General Charles Fleetwood. Another daughter, Elizabeth, married Thomas Polhill.
Posthumous Events
After the monarchy was restored in England, Henry Ireton's body was dug up. This happened on the 12th anniversary of King Charles I's execution. His body was then symbolically "executed" as a punishment for his role in the King's death.
Memorials and Legacy
A blue plaque was placed on Ireton's birthplace in Attenborough in 2011. It states that he was a lawyer, a supporter of Cromwell, and a general.
Several places are named after Henry Ireton:
- The town of Ireton, Iowa, in the United States.
- Ireton Avenue in Beeston, England.
- Ireton Road in Market Harborough, England.
- Ireton's Way, a straight part of the A142 road in England, which Ireton helped build.
- Ireton Street in Walton, Liverpool, England.
- Ireton Street in Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is near a Cromwell Road.
- An Ireton Road in Colchester, England.
- Ireton Avenue and 'Ireton's House' in Walton-on-Thames, England.
His portrait is still displayed in the dining hall of Trinity College, Oxford.
Fictional Portrayals
Henry Ireton has been shown in books and movies:
- In the 1970 film Cromwell, actor Michael Jayston played Ireton. In the movie, Ireton is shown as someone who pushes Cromwell to take action against King Charles I.
- He is a small character in Rosemary Sutcliff's 1953 historical novel Simon.
- Ireton is the main character in John Attenborough's 1987 novel Destiny Our Choice. This book shows Ireton in a positive light.
Images for kids
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Henry Ireton married Bridget Cromwell, daughter of Oliver Cromwell.
