"I will not have a drop of blood spilt for the preservation of my greatness, which is a burden to me."
Third son of Oliver Cromwell, and Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, 1658-1659.
Born October 4, 1626, Richard married well (it helped that his father commanded the New Model Army) and had a large estate in Hertfordshire].
He was in the Army when Charles I was beheaded, and was a Member of parliament while his father was Lord Protector.
When Richard's elder brothers died, and The Lord Protector was given the right to name his heir in 1657, Richard was suddenly thrust into
prominence.
Oliver Cromwell died in 1658, and Richard was proclaimed Lord Protector on September 131. Immediately, Richard's clashes with the army began. The army was the real basis of power in England, and "Tumbledown Dick" commanded neither the charisma nor the political skill of
his father. When Richard tried to assert control over them, army commanders engaged in various intrigues against him, eventually reinstating
the "Rump Parliament" which dismissed him on May 17, 1659. Richard abdicated on June 3.
There was a period of anarchy between Richard's removal in 1659 and the restoration of Stuart king Charles II in 1660. Richard
thought it prudent to flee to France, where he knocked about the Continent under various pseudonyms. He was allowed to return in 1680
(I've also seen 1689, which would make more sense).
Richard Cromwell lived in genteel poverty near his former Hertfordshire estates until he died on July 23, 1712.
1Gregorian Calendar. Rather ironic, but I'd rather not confuse matters further.
With help from
http://lego70.tripod.com/england/cromwell2.htm
http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon48a.html