Charles Fleetwood was born
in Northampton in about 1618. Educated at Emmanuel
College, Cambridge and Gray's Inn,
and on the outbreak of the Civil War
Fleetwood joined the the bodyguard of the Earl
of Essex.
Fleetwood fought at Newbury
(September, 1943) and commanded a cavalry regiment at Naseby
(June, 1645). In 1646 he was elected to the House
of Commons where he represented Marlborough. Fleetwood
also played a prominent role at the battles at Dunbar (September,
1650) and Worcester (August, 1651).
In 1651 Fleetwood became
a member of the Council of State and the following year married, Bridget
Ireton, the daughter of Oliver Cromwell
and the widow of Henry Ireton.
In 1654 Fleetwood became
Commander in Chief in Ireland. He was recalled a year later after
his brother-in-law, Henry Cromwell, claimed he was sympathetic to
Anabaptists and Levellers
in the army. He then became major-general in charge of the Eastern
Counties. Fleetwood was unhappy with Cromwell's dictatorial methods
and tried to persuade him not to dismiss Parliament in 1658.
In 1659 Fleetwood joined
John Desborough
and John
Lambert to help remove Richard Cromwell
as Lord Protector
of the Commonwealth. He
was appointed as Commander in Chief but was replaced by General George
Monck in 1659.
When the monarchy was restored
in 1660 Fleetwood was forced into retirement. As he had not been involved
in the trial and execution of Charles
I he was not
imprisoned during the Restoration.
Charles Fleetwood lived in Stoke Newington until his death in 1692.
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