es. Finally, in disgust, he put an end to the farce by defeating the Scottish army, purging Parliament of ninety-six Presbyterian members, and seizing, trying and executing the faithless Charles. "Cromwell was more responsible for the overthrow of the Stuarts than any other man, and as the commander of a large, well-trained army, he had power to establish a dictatorship." The Lord Protector's actions were based upon long doubts and considerations. All the actions he made were inspired by God, after long prayers and sleepless nights. "Cromwell repeatedly claimed that God was controlling events, that his own actions were molded or directed by a very interventionist God, that he sought God's will on how he should proceed and that divine instruction shaped subsequent events." Although most of his self-determinations were difficult for him, the decision to support Charles I's sending to death was probably the most difficult one for him.Slowly, hesitantly and perhaps unwillingly, Cromwell came round to support both trial and execution, driven forward by the messages which he felt God was sending to him personally and to the army in general during 1648. In late November he was still writing that he and his colleagues were in a waiting posture, desiring to see what the Lord would lead them to. By January 1649 he believed that the Lord required Charles I's trial and execution, a belief fueled by God's word vouchsafed either direct to him or to the army. Not only Cromwell's piety and conscientiousness made him a famous political leader, but also an extremely outstanding ability to be a military man. The new army, basically established by Cromwell's talent and energy, was a truly made popular army, inspired by ideals of freedom and justice. It unified various democratic powers. Hence, the largest Cromwell's merit was his ability to relate his own interests with this folk movement. He became the revolutionary army commander, lead it to many victo...
