Talk:Oliver Cromwell

Controverial figure

First, great stuff here. But: "Cromwell is the most controversial figure in all of British history" - that's quite a claim. I realise he is immensely important - indeed, one might judge the most important - but this surely can't be supported? John Stephenson 06:05, 2 June 2008 (CDT)

the "most controversial" but comes from Morrill. Is there someone MORe controversial? It's supported by pointing to the enormous controversy he has generated over the centuries--nobody comes close. (examples are listed like King George V and VI and the allegations of fanatic, genocide, dictator). My impression is that many Irish still HATE him. Professor Barry Coward, President of the Historical Association calls him Britain's "most controversial Head of State." Blair Warden, another leading historian, says: " From his century to ours, Oliver Cromwell has been the most controversial figure of English history." Richard Jensen 06:53, 2 June 2008 (CDT)

OK, I can go along with your argument (and of course, Cromwell is well-known in Ireland), but my point is it's very subjective for an encyclopaedia to declare one figure 'most controversial' - one could construct an argument that e.g. Churchill is more controversial, or other figures who are more widely known because they appear in the history syllabuses (most people in the UK have never heard of Cromwell or know next to nothing about him, as little is taught about that time), e.g. Henry VIII. I'm not sure we should be making a claim like that. As for Coward, that is a good quote - about English history since Cromwell's time, but not for all of British history. Maybe, at the very least, we should say that historians consider him most controversial, though not people generally. John Stephenson 03:57, 3 June 2008 (CDT)