Elizabeth Cromwell: Difference between revisions
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'''Elizabeth Bourchier (1598-1665) was the wife of [[Oliver Cromwell]], [[Lord Protector]] of England, Scotland and Ireland. |
'''Elizabeth Bourchier (1598-1665) was the wife of [[Oliver Cromwell]], [[Lord Protector]] of England, Scotland and Ireland. |
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== Biography == |
== Biography == |
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Elizabeth was born on an unknown date in 1598 to Sir James Bourchier, a wealthy London leather merchant, and his wife Frances Crane, daughter of Thomas Crane of Newton Tony, [[Wiltshire]]. Elizabeth was the eldest of twelve children.<ref>olivercromwell.org/faqs6.html</ref> On 22 August 1620 at St.Giles, Cripplegate, London she married Oliver Cromwell.<ref>British Civil Wars, Commonwealth and Protectorate 1638-1660</ref> The marriage produced nine children. The marriage to Elizabeth was very advantageous for Cromwell, as her father brought him into contact with the wealthy merchant community of London, and due to the extensive lands Sir James owned in [[Essex]], this family association gained him much support from the influential families of the local [[puritan]] gentry. Their marriage was happy, and they were devoted to one another. This can be attested by the solicitous love letters Cromwell wrote to Elizabeth while away at war. Some of these were published in an anthology of love letters written by [[Antonia Fraser]] in 1976.<ref>"Love Letters, An Illustrated Anthology" pgs120,124 Antonia Fraser Contemporary Books, Inc. 1989 ISBN 0809243148 </ref> |
Elizabeth was born on an unknown date in 1598 to Sir James Bourchier, a wealthy London leather merchant, and his wife Frances Crane, daughter of Thomas Crane of Newton Tony, [[Wiltshire]]. Elizabeth was the eldest of twelve children.<ref>olivercromwell.org/faqs6.html</ref> On 22 August 1620 at St.Giles, Cripplegate, London she married Oliver Cromwell.<ref>British Civil Wars, Commonwealth and Protectorate 1638-1660</ref> The marriage produced nine children. The marriage to Elizabeth was very advantageous for Cromwell, as her father brought him into contact with the wealthy merchant community of London, and due to the extensive lands Sir James owned in [[Essex]], this family association gained him much support from the influential families of the local [[puritan]] gentry. Their marriage was happy, and they were devoted to one another. This can be attested by the solicitous love letters Cromwell wrote to Elizabeth while away at war. Some of these were published in an anthology of love letters written by [[Antonia Fraser]] in 1976.<ref>"Love Letters, An Illustrated Anthology" pgs120,124 Antonia Fraser Contemporary Books, Inc. 1989 ISBN 0809243148 </ref> Her miniature was painted by [[Samuel Cooper]]. |
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== List of children == |
== List of children == |
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Revision as of 15:45, 8 September 2008
Elizabeth Bourchier (1598-1665) was the wife of Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland.
Biography
Elizabeth was born on an unknown date in 1598 to Sir James Bourchier, a wealthy London leather merchant, and his wife Frances Crane, daughter of Thomas Crane of Newton Tony, Wiltshire. Elizabeth was the eldest of twelve children.[1] On 22 August 1620 at St.Giles, Cripplegate, London she married Oliver Cromwell.[2] The marriage produced nine children. The marriage to Elizabeth was very advantageous for Cromwell, as her father brought him into contact with the wealthy merchant community of London, and due to the extensive lands Sir James owned in Essex, this family association gained him much support from the influential families of the local puritan gentry. Their marriage was happy, and they were devoted to one another. This can be attested by the solicitous love letters Cromwell wrote to Elizabeth while away at war. Some of these were published in an anthology of love letters written by Antonia Fraser in 1976.[3] Her miniature was painted by Samuel Cooper.
List of children
- Robert Cromwell (1621-1639) Died while away at school.
- Oliver Cromwell (1622-1644) Died of typhoid fever while serving as a Parliamentarian officer. Unmarried.
- Bridget Cromwell (4 August1624-1681). Married firstly Henry Ireton, and secondly Charles Fleetwood. She had two daughters by her first husband.
- Richard Cromwell (4 October 1626 -12 July 1712). In 1658 he succeeded his father as Lord Protector but the Protectorate collapsed one year later. In May 1649 he married Dorothy Mayor, daughter of Richard Mayor. Richard and Dorothy had nine children, but only four reached adulthood.
- Henry Cromwell (20 January1628- 23 March 1674) Served as Lord Deputy of Ireland. Married Elizabeth Russell by whom he had seven children.
- Elizabeth Cromwell (2 July1629- August 1658) Married John Claypole. They had four children. Elizabeth was known as "Bettie" and was said to have been her father's favourite child.[4]
- James Cromwell (born and died in 1632)
- Mary Cromwell (February 1637-1713) Married Thomas Belasyse, 1st Earl Fauconberg
- Frances Cromwell (1638-1720) Married firstly Robert Rich and secondly Sir John Russell, 4th Baronet.
Death
Elizabeth Bourchier Cromwell died in 1665 at the age of 67. It was five years after the Restoration of King Charles II and seven years after the death of her husband. Five of her nine children survived her as well as numerous grandchildren.