John Claypole facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lord
John Claypole
|
|
|---|---|
Copy of a medal engraving of Claypole by Thomas Simon
|
|
| Born | 21 August 1625 |
| Died | 26 June 1688 (aged 62) |
| Allegiance | Parliamentarian |
| Army | |
| Rank | Master of the Horse |
| Battles/wars | English Civil War |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Cromwell |
| Children | 3 |
John Claypole (born August 21, 1625 – died June 26, 1688) was an important officer in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War. This war was a big conflict in England in the mid-1600s. He was given the special title of Lord Claypole by Oliver Cromwell, who was a powerful leader at the time. However, this title ended when the monarchy was brought back in 1660, an event known as the Restoration.
John Claypole married Elizabeth, who was the second daughter of Oliver Cromwell. They got married before October 1646. He helped the Parliament by forming a group of soldiers on horseback in 1651 to fight against King Charles II. He also held a very important job: he was the Master of the Horse for his father-in-law, Oliver Cromwell, when Cromwell was the Lord Protector of England.
Claypole was chosen to be a Member of Parliament in 1654 and again in 1656. In 1657, he became one of Cromwell's special advisors, known as peers. After the king returned to power in 1660, John Claypole lived a quiet life. He might have been briefly put in prison in 1678 because people suspected him of being involved in a plot. But he was quickly released when no proof was found against him.
Contents
John Claypole's Family and Early Life
John Claypole came from a well-known family that lived in Narborough, a place in Northamptonshire. His family owned a lot of land in that area.
John Claypole was the son of John Claypole the Elder and his wife Mary. His grandfather was Adam Claypole. In 1637, John Claypole senior was called before a special court called the Star Chamber. This court ordered that he be charged for refusing to pay "ship money." Ship money was a tax that King Charles I tried to collect from everyone, even those who didn't live near the coast, which was unusual.
Because his father had problems with the king, it's not surprising that he supported the Parliament when the Civil War began in 1643. In 1644, his father was chosen as one of the tax collectors for Northamptonshire. John Claypole senior was also a Member of Parliament in 1654 for Northamptonshire. To tell them apart, his father was called "John Claypole, esq. senior," and his son was called "Lord Claypole."
It's thought that John Claypole senior's feelings about the country were similar to Oliver Cromwell's. Since his father had faced difficulties during King Charles I's Eleven Years' Tyranny (a time when the king ruled without Parliament), it might have led to a close friendship between their families. This friendship eventually led to John Claypole (the younger) marrying Elizabeth Cromwell, Oliver Cromwell's second daughter, before October 1646.
Role in the Civil War and Protectorate
John Claypole first joined the Parliament's army during the First English Civil War. He was involved in the siege of Newark in the winter of 1645–46. Later, on August 11, 1651, during the Third English Civil War, he was given permission to gather a group of horse soldiers. His job was to stop King Charles II from marching into England.
When his father-in-law, Oliver Cromwell, became the Lord Protector, John Claypole was given the important job of Master of the Horse. In this role, he led the state coach during Cromwell's inauguration ceremony. He walked bare-headed beside the coach. He did the same thing at Cromwell's second, even grander, inauguration.
He became a Member of Parliament for Carmarthenshire in 1654. In 1656, he was chosen as a member of the committee of trade. He was also elected as an MP for Northamptonshire and Carmarthenshire in the Second Protectorate Parliament in 1656. He chose to represent Northamptonshire.
In Parliament, John Claypole spoke out against the power of the major-generals. These were military leaders who had a lot of control over different regions of England. Claypole believed their power was too great and went against the laws and freedoms of the people. His speech was very important because it showed that Oliver Cromwell himself might have wanted to reduce the major-generals' power. After Claypole spoke, many others joined him in opposing the major-generals, and their authority was ended.
Oliver Cromwell gave Claypole several other important positions. He was made one of the lords of his bed-chamber (a personal attendant to the Protector). He also became the clerk of the hanaper (a legal office) and the ranger of Whittlewood Forest in Northamptonshire. There, he built a large house called Wakefield Lodge. To further honor him, Cromwell made Claypole a baronet on July 16, 1657, and he was also knighted that same day. Later that year, Claypole was made one of the Protector's lords and given a seat in the Protector's Upper House, which was like a second parliament.
John Claypole was also used by Oliver Cromwell for important tasks. He was asked to welcome the Dutch ambassadors when they returned to London in March 1654. Cromwell also used Claypole to get advice from William Lilly, a famous astrologer. When his brother-in-law, Richard Cromwell, became Protector, Claypole kept all his court positions. He even carried the sword of state when Richard opened his Parliament.
John Claypole was a Presbyterian in his religious beliefs. This was a type of Protestantism. However, he wasn't overly strict in his behavior. He was known to enjoy life. He was also a close friend of Christopher Wren, a famous architect, and had an interest in mathematics.
Life After the Monarchy Returned
John Claypole was known for his calm and gentle personality. This made him better suited for peaceful roles rather than military ones. Oliver Cromwell gave him many honorable and well-paying jobs. These jobs were given because he was married to Cromwell's favorite daughter and because he was a very pleasant person.
Because Claypole had never done anything to harm anyone during Cromwell's rule, he was included in the Act of Oblivion when the monarchy was restored. This act was a general pardon for many people who had supported Parliament. Unlike those who had been involved in the execution of King Charles I, Claypole was not put on trial.
After Oliver Cromwell's death, Claypole gave shelter to Elizabeth Cromwell, his mother-in-law and Oliver Cromwell's widow, until she died in 1665. Years later, in 1678, when there were many rumors of plots against the royal family, John Claypole was suspected of being involved in one. He was arrested in June 1678 and sent to the Tower of London. He tried to get out on bail, but the amount was set so high that his friends couldn't pay it. So, he was sent back to the Tower. However, since no evidence was found against him, he was released. It's thought that he returned to his estate in Northamptonshire after this.
Family Life
John and Elizabeth Claypole had a daughter and two sons, Henry and Oliver. Sadly, both sons died before their mother. It's believed that the grief from losing Oliver might have made his mother, Elizabeth, die sooner in 1658. All of John Claypole's children with Elizabeth died before him.
John Claypole married a second time in June 1670 to Blanche, who was the widow of Lancelot Stavely. They had one daughter named Bridget. However, John Claypole later became influenced by a laundress named Anne Ottee and changed his will to give his property to her instead of Bridget. Bridget took legal action and managed to get some of her inheritance back. But John Claypole had already sold most of his property, including the family home at Northborough, during his lifetime.
John Claypole had several other relatives. His brother Henry is mentioned in historical papers. There was also Captain Wingfield Claypole, an officer in Ireland, and Christopher Claypole, who was also in the army. Another brother was James Claypoole (1634–1687), a good friend of William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania. James moved to Philadelphia in 1683. Other brothers included Edward (who lived in Barbados) and Norton (who moved to North America).
