Old Ironsides: The Military Biography of Oliver Cormwell

by Frank Kitson

Whether viewed as a brave crusader or a power-mad villain, Oliver Cromwell is irrefutably a key figure in one of the most troubled periods of British history. By examining his performance as a military commander in the widest sense, this intriguing volume offers a new perspective on an intensely religious man who used both soldiering and politics to achieve his underlying goals, as well as insight into the world in which he lived.

Genres: History, Biography, Military History

239 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2004

About the author

General Sir Frank Edward Kitson GBE, KCB, MC and Bar, DL was a British Army officer and writer on military subjects, notably low intensity operations. He rose to be Commander-in-Chief UK Land Forces from 1982 to 1985 and was Aide-de-Camp General to Queen Elizabeth II from 1983 to 1985.

Reviews

[Farah Mendlesohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me laugh at times, it’s so prejudiced against the “political” Cromwell, but for all that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve read a lot of military history of the war and Kitson was often far clearer than others. He has a real gift for explaining what’s going on. But what I particularly like is that unlike a lot of academic historians he understands logistics and he applies that to his analysis. He nails what’s been niggling in my mind for sometime that to understand Cromwell’s success you need to understand how he and Fairfax prepared for battle as well as what happened in the moment.

[Zare · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to finish this book. It is full of almost every sort of detail - especially in chapters regarding the English Civil War period. This slowed the pace to me and I had to consult atlas to figure out what is happening. Campaigns in Ireland and Scotland are much shorter and with less detail - consequently much easier to read. All in all good book presenting military career of Oliver Cromwell - highly recommended to anyone with interest in military history.

[Stephen Fleet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was ok.
Good for tracking his movements during the three civil wars.
Didn't really cover the tactics or philosophies of warfare during the period and has left me thinking Oliver is a little over rated compared to his considered peers (Wellington and Marlborough.)
But good enough to get the lay of the land so to speak.