Arthur Haselrig facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Arthur Haselrig
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| Member of the English Council of State | |
| In office May 1659 – October 1659 |
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| Monarch | Commonwealth of England 1653–1660 |
| Preceded by | Henry Lawrence |
| Succeeded by | Committee of Safety |
| Lord President of the English Council of State | |
| In office January 1652 – February 1652 |
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| Preceded by | Bulstrode Whitelocke |
| Succeeded by | Philip Sidney and Lord Lisle |
| MP for Leicester | |
| In office 1653 – 1659 (banned from sitting 1655–1658) |
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| Governor of Newcastle | |
| In office December 1647 – 1652 |
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| MP for Leicestershire | |
| In office 1640–1653 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | ca 1601 Noseley Hall, Leicestershire |
| Died | 7 January 1661 (aged 60) Tower of London |
| Nationality | English |
| Spouses | Frances Elmes (1624–1632) Dorothy Greville (1634–1650) |
| Children | Sir Thomas Hesilrige (1625–1680) Sir Robert Heselrige (1640–1713) Katherine Fenwick, later Katherine Babington (1635–1670); |
| Parents | Sir Thomas Hesilrige (died 1632) Frances Gorges |
Sir Arthur Haselrig (born around 1601, died January 7, 1661) was an important English politician. He was a strong opponent of King Charles I and played a big part in the English Civil War. He held many military and political jobs during the wars that happened between 1639 and 1651. Later, he disagreed with Oliver Cromwell during the time called the Protectorate.
In 1660, his actions accidentally helped bring King Charles II back to the throne. Unlike many other leaders, Sir Arthur's life was saved. However, he was held in the Tower of London, where he died on January 7, 1661.
Contents
Sir Arthur Haselrig's Early Life
Arthur Haselrig was the oldest son of Sir Thomas Hesilrige and Frances Gorges. He grew up at Noseley Hall in Leicestershire. From a young age, he believed strongly in Puritan ideas. He especially disliked Archbishop Laud, who was a powerful church leader.
Serving in Parliament
The Short and Long Parliaments
In April 1640, Haselrig was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Leicestershire in the Short Parliament. He was elected again for the Long Parliament in November 1640. He was very involved in important laws, like the one against Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford.
On January 3, 1642, King Charles I tried to arrest Haselrig and four other MPs for treason. These five men were known as the "Five Members". But they were warned and managed to escape before the King arrived with his guards.
Role in the Civil War
Fighting for Parliament
Sir Arthur Haselrig was very active on the side of Parliament during the First English Civil War. He formed a group of horse soldiers for the Earl of Essex and fought at the Battle of Edgehill. He was a commander in the west of England under William Waller. His armored soldiers were famous and called the "London lobsters".
Key Battles and Bravery
Haselrig and his troops showed great courage at the Battle of Lansdowne on July 5, 1643. His men defeated Sir Beville Grenville's soldiers. At the Battle of Roundway Down on July 13, Haselrig's force faced a charge from the Royalist cavalry. He was shot three times, but the bullets seemed to bounce off his armor! One Royalist even fired a pistol at his helmet and then attacked him with a sword, but it didn't hurt him. Haselrig was only injured when his horse was attacked.
King Charles I heard about this incident and made a joke. He said that if Haselrig had been as well-fed as he was well-protected, he could have survived a long siege.
At the Battle of Cheriton, Haselrig's men defeated Sir Henry Bard's cavalry. This battle was a turning point in the war. After Cheriton, the King's army had to switch from attacking to defending.
Governor of Newcastle
Sir Arthur Haselrig supported Oliver Cromwell in his disagreements with other leaders. When a new law called the Self-denying Ordinance was passed, he gave up his military command. He became a leader of the Independent party in Parliament.
On December 30, 1647, he was made governor of Newcastle upon Tyne. He successfully defended the city and won back Tynemouth from the Royalists in 1648. He also helped Cromwell in his military trip to Scotland in 1650. Between 1647 and 1650, Haselrig and his son bought a lot of land in the north-east of England.
Parliament and Cromwell
Disagreements with Cromwell
Haselrig agreed with the decision to execute the King, but he refused to be a judge at the trial. He was an important figure in the new government, the Commonwealth. However, he was upset when Cromwell dismissed the Rump Parliament. He then opposed Cromwell's rule, known as the Protectorate, and even refused to pay taxes.
Haselrig believed Cromwell was a traitor because he was a strong republican. This meant he was against anyone ruling alone, whether they inherited the power or took it by military force. Even one of his opponents, Edmund Ludlow, admitted that Haselrig truly wanted to stop anyone from having too much power. He wanted the military to be controlled by the civilian government.
In 1654 and 1656, Haselrig was elected as an MP for Leicester. However, he was not allowed to take his seat in either Parliament. He also turned down an offer from Cromwell to join the Protectorate's House of Lords.
Standing Up to the Army
Restoring Parliament
After Cromwell died, Haselrig refused to support Cromwell's son, Richard Cromwell. He played a key role in Richard's downfall. In April 1659, army officers closed down Parliament. In May, the Rump Parliament was brought back, and Haselrig became one of the most powerful men in both Parliament and the Council of State.
He tried hard to keep the government controlled by Parliament, not by the army. He strongly opposed John Lambert, an army general who wanted the military to have more control. Haselrig argued that the army should be under Parliament's control. This led to a big argument, and nine army officers, including Lambert, were removed from their positions. In response, Lambert called out the army and blocked all roads to Parliament.
The Portsmouth Stand
After Lambert stopped Parliament from meeting, Haselrig decided to restore it. He chose Portsmouth as a new location because it had strong naval traditions and good defenses. The new Governor of Portsmouth, Nathaniel Whetham, was a republican and a friend of General George Monck in Scotland. Monck had the best army in Britain and had already declared his support for Parliament.
On December 4, 1659, Haselrig arrived in Portsmouth and met with his allies. The next day, they put up a public statement calling for citizens to "restore Parliament to their former freedom." Soon, Hurst Castle and the Isle of Wight also declared their support for Parliament. The military government, called the Committee of Safety, sent a force to Portsmouth. However, their commander, Colonel Nathaniel Rich, decided to join Haselrig instead.
News spread quickly, and other cities like Hull and Plymouth followed suit. The army council, unsure of its own troops, decided to restore the Rump Parliament by December 26. On December 29, Haselrig marched to London and attended Parliament still in his riding clothes. He was at the peak of his power, a major figure in the restored republic. He was appointed to the Council of State on January 2, 1660.
Monck and the King's Return
However, General Monck had begun marching south from Scotland on January 1. Lambert tried to stop Monck, but he avoided a fight because he knew Monck's forces were strong and his own troops might not be loyal. Monck entered London on February 3. Haselrig trusted Monck's promise to support the "Good Old Cause" (the republican cause).
But Monck had other plans. The Rump Parliament was dissolved, and Haselrig found himself losing power. A new Parliament, called the Convention Parliament, met on April 31. By May 8, Charles II was declared King. Haselrig asked for a pardon, saying he had not supported the overthrow of Charles I and had only supported the Commonwealth to avoid more fighting.
Despite Monck's earlier promise of a pardon, Haselrig was targeted by a Royalist named Silius Titus. Sir Arthur's life was spared, but he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. He died there on January 7, 1661.
Sir Arthur Haselrig's Character
Historians described Haselrig as a bold and energetic man. He was sometimes rash and lacked tact, but his energy was very valuable to the Parliament's cause.
Family Life
Sir Arthur Haselrig married twice. His first wife was Frances Elmes. They had two sons and two daughters. His second wife was Dorothy Greville. They had three sons and five daughters.
See Also
- Five Members
- English Civil War
- Oliver Cromwell
