Who Was Oliver Cromwell?

Oliver Cromwell, born 1599 in Cambridgeshire, England, was one of only two commoners ever to be English Head of State (the other being his son Richard).  He held this position from 1653 until his death in 1538 from malaria.  In 1657, Cromwell was actually offered the Crown itself but, after some deliberation, he rejected it.  He had after all been instrumental in abolishing the monarchy (King Charles I was executed by after a trial by Parliament in 1649).  This former Member of Parliament and committed protestant 'Puritan' had reached his position of power following his success as a military leader (despite a lack of experience) of the Parliamentarian 'Roundheads', victorious against the Royalist 'Cavaliers' in the English Civil War (1642-1651).  As Lord Protector, he imposed his rule on England, Scotland and Ireland.  His brutal suppression of Irish Royalists in 1649 still rankles, he is a hated figure in Ireland.  After the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, his body was exhumed and hanged at Tyburn gallows.