Providence Lost: The Rise and Fall of Cromwell's Protectorate

Providence Lost is a compelling and wry narrative of one of the most intellectually thrilling eras of British history, written by Paul Lay. It tells the story of England's first and only experiment with republican government, focusing on Oliver Cromwell's rule as Lord Protector. The book provides a first-class ticket to the Cromwellian world of achievement, paradox, and contradiction, and is praised for its brisk pace and elegant writing.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 01 April 2021
Publisher: Head of Zeus

SHORTLISTED FOR THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE 2020 England,1651. Oliver Cromwell has defeated his royalist opponents in two civil wars,executed the Stuart king Charles I,laid waste to Ireland,and crushed the late king s son and his Scottish allies. He is master of Britain and Ireland. But Parliament,divided between moderates,republicans and Puritans of uncompromisingly millenarian hue,is faction-ridden and disputatious. By the end of 1653,Cromwell has become Lord Protector . Seeking dragons for an elect Protestant nation to slay,he launches an ambitious Western Design against Spain s empire in the New World. When an amphibious assault on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in 1655 proves a disaster,a shaken Cromwell is convinced that God is punishing England for its sinfulness. But the imposition of the rule of the Major-Generals – bureaucrats with a penchant for closing alehouses – backfires spectacularly. Sectarianism and fundamentalism run riot. Radicals and royalists join together in conspiracy. The only way out seems to be a return to a Parliament presided over by a king. But will Cromwell accept the crown? Paul Lay narrates in entertaining but always rigorous fashion the story of England s first and only experiment with republican government: he brings the febrile world of Oliver Cromwell s Protectorate to life,providing vivid portraits of the extraordinary individuals who inhabited it and capturing its dissonant cacophony of political and religious voices.
A compelling and wry narrative of one of the most intellectually thrilling eras of British history, "Providence Lost" by Paul Lay is a captivating exploration of the tumultuous reign of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector of England. Set in the 1650s, the book follows Cromwell's rise to power, his battles against his royalist opponents, and his ambitious Western Design against Spain's empire in the New World. However, as Parliament becomes increasingly divided and disputatious, Cromwell's vision of a Protestant nation is threatened by sectarianism and fundamentalism. The imposition of the rule of Major-Generals, bureaucrats with a penchant for closing alehouses, backfires spectacularly, leading to a return to a Parliament presided over by a king. Lay's narrative is briskly paced and elegantly written, providing a first-class ticket to this Cromwellian world. The book is shortlisted for the Cundill History Prize 2020. "Providence Lost" offers a vivid portrayal of the extraordinary individuals who inhabited Cromwell's Protectorate, including the Puritans, radicals, and royalists who joined together in conspiracy. Lay's meticulous research and engaging storytelling bring the period to life, capturing the dissonant cacophony of political and religious voices that characterized the time. Overall, "Providence Lost" is a must-read for anyone interested in British history, the rise of republicanism, and the complex dynamics of power and religion in the 17th century.

Weight: 262g
Dimension: 129 x 199 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781781853368