Oh the Iron(side)y! Part I

King Charles I Dissolution of the Long Parliament

I recently came across an advertisement for a new casino and resort in Las Vegas by the name of the Cromwell. I was taken aback by this at first. By far the most famous Cromwell in history is Oliver Cromwell who became the most powerful man in British Isles that ever was. Born in 1599, Cromwell grew to be a devout Puritan. Being such, he held strict views on how one should behave, worship (disavowing the many symbols of the Catholic church), and be governed. He began as a rather obscure character, becoming a Member of Parliament from 1628 till 1629, when Charles I dissolved Parliament, instead wanting to rule as the absolute monarchs of old. This upset many further who already felt Charles I had Catholic leanings, which threatened many in the British Isles who felt they were one of the few true strongholds of Protestantism against the strength of Rome. At this time in English history, the monarch's absolute powers had been curtailed, giving some power over to Parliament, such as the power to levy taxes. This meant that Charles needed money, especially after his costly campaign against the Scots in 1639, so he called Parliament back into session including Cromwell. This Parliament lasted only three weeks before it was dissolved, due to the MP's attempts to limit Charles and his supporters' powers. In reaction Charles dissolved it, thus cementing its name as the "Short Parliament." But, finding he still needed their power, he recalled Parliament on the 3rd of November 1640. Now Parliament continued to try to weaken the power of Charles and his advisers, but relations did appear to improve as Charles agreed to certain measures and things seemed to calm down with the Scots. But, when the Scots once again invaded, Charles believed that some of the more vocal MPs were actually working with the Scots. He demanded Parliament hand over 5 members on the grounds of treason. When Parliament refused, he decided to take them by force. But the members were warned and fled London, while the king entered the House of Commons. After his failed attempt to arrest the members, which was a severe overreach in his powers, Parliament was quick to act, seizing London and forcing the king to flee. The English Civil War had begun.

The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

George V Sweeping Out His German Titles

During the turbulent days of World War I, anger towards the enemy and anything that could be familiarized with it was common. This seems to be a natural reaction in times of war, when people are bent upon the domination of their foes by force, any semblance of their enemies at home is usually treated with hostility. It was such motivation that led to the creation of the House of Windsor, which still rules today in Britain through Queen Elizabeth II. Anti-German sentiment was on the rise in England, especially after the introduction of a new heavy German bomber in 1917, that was capable of crossing the channel and attacking London directly. Then king, George V was cousin to his German enemy Kaiser Wilhelm II through their grandparents Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Their first daughter became the mother of Kaiser Wilhelm, while their first son became the father of King George. This meant that George V inherited the title of House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha through the male line as was tradition. Now here he was, leading his country in the fight against his German cousin, the "Hun", in the name of England, while he himself held a German title! So, George felt he needed to be English, not just in reality only, but also in name. An official proclamation was made, and the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha became the House of Windsor, possibly chosen for its ties to Windsor Castle a famous royal residence. Upon hearing of his cousins' name-change, Kaiser Wilhelm II is reported to have quipped that he planned to see "The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha."