Biography of Henry Ireton 1611-1651

1649 Pride's Purge

1649 Trial of Charles I

1661 Execution of Deceased Regicides

In 1611 Henry Ireton was born to German Ireton (age 37).

On 30 Oct 1645 Henry Ireton (age 34) was elected MP Appleby.

On 15 Jun 1646 Henry Ireton (age 35) and Bridget Cromwell (age 22) were married.

Pride's Purge

On 06 Jan 1649 Thomas Pride, on behalf of Thomas Fairfax 3rd Lord Fairfax (age 36) and Henry Ireton (age 38), supported by two regiments, and Nathaniel Rich's (age 24) Regiment of Horse, with Thomas Grey (age 26), prevented MPs opposed to the trial of King Charles I (age 48) from entering Parliament including ...

James Herbert (age 26).

Robert Pye (age 29).

Ambrose Browne 1st Baronet.

Denzil Holles 1st Baron Holles (age 49).

John Spelman (age 42).

Trial of Charles I

On 23 Jan 1649 King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 48) was tried at Westminster Hall [Map] by Henry Mildmay (age 56). The fifty-nine signatories of his Death Warrant were:

1 Judge John Bradshaw

2 Thomas Grey

3 [his father-in-law] Oliver Cromwell

4 Edward Whalley

7 John Danvers

9 Henry Ireton

11 Hardress Waller

14 Major-General William Goffe

17 General Thomas Harrison

21 Admiral Richard Deane

27 Adrian Scrope

34 Richard Ingoldsby

42 John Jones

45 Major General Charles Fleetwood

54 Gregory Clement

55 John Downes

57 Thomas Scot

58 John Carew

The commissioners who sat at the trial but did not sign the Death Warrant included:

William Monson 1st Viscount Monson (age 50)

James Harington 3rd Baronet (age 41)

The Captain of the Guard was Daniel Axtell (age 27). The guards included Francis Hacker, Matthew Tomlinson (age 31).

The Solicitor-General was John Cook (age 41).

Around 1650. Robert Walker (age 51). Portrait of Henry Ireton (age 39).

On 26 Nov 1651 Henry Ireton (age 40) died of plague.

Evelyn's Diary. 26 Dec 1651. Came news of the death of that rebel, Ireton (deceased).

In 1652 Major General Charles Fleetwood (age 34) and [his former wife] Bridget Cromwell (age 28) were married.

Evelyn's Diary. 06 Mar 1652. Saw the magnificent funeral of that arch-rebel, Ireton, carried in pomp from Somerset House [Map] to Westminster [Map], accompanied with divers regiments of soldiers, horse and foot; then marched the mourners, [his former father-in-law] General Cromwell (age 52) (his father-in-law), his mock-parliament-men, officers, and forty poor men in gowns, three led horses in housings of black cloth, two led in black velvet, and his charging horse, all covered over with embroidery and gold, on crimson velvet; then the guidons, ensigns, four heralds, carrying the arms of the State (as they called it), namely, the red cross and Ireland, with the casque, wreath, sword, spurs, etc.; next, a chariot canopied of black velvet, and six horses, in which was the corpse; the pall held up by the mourners on foot; the mace and sword, with other marks of his charge in Ireland (where he died of the plague), carried before in black scarfs. Thus, in a grave pace, drums covered with cloth, soldiers reversing their arms, they proceeded through the streets in a very solemn manner. This Ireton was a stout rebel, and had been very bloody to the King's (age 21) party, witness his severity at Colchester, when in cold blood he put to death those gallant gentlemen, Sir Charles Lucas (age 39) and Sir George Lisle. My cousin, R. Fanshawe (age 43), came to visit me, and informed me of many considerable affairs. Sir Henry Herbert (age 57) presented me with his brother, my Lord Cherbury's book, "De Veritate"..

Pepy's Diary. 04 Dec 1660. From thence I to my Lord's, and dined with him and told him what we had done to-day. Sir Tho. Crew (age 36) dined with my Lord to-day, and we were very merry with Mrs. Borfett, who dined there still as she has always done lately. After dinner Sir Tho. and my Lady to the Playhouse [Map] to see "The Silent Woman". I home by water, and with Mr. Hater in my chamber all alone he and I did put this morning's design into order, which being done I did carry it to Sir W. Batten (age 59), where I found some gentlemen with him (Sir W. Pen (age 39) among the rest pretty merry with drink) playing at cards, and there I staid looking upon them till one o'clock in the morning, and so Sir W. Pen and I went away, and I to bed. This day the Parliament voted that the bodies of [his former father-in-law] Oliver, Ireton, Bradshaw, &c., should be taken up out of their graves in the Abbey, and drawn to the gallows, and there hanged and buried under it: which (methinks) do trouble me that a man of so great courage as he was, should have that dishonour, though otherwise he might deserve it enough.

Execution of Deceased Regicides

On 30 Jan 1661 the remains of [his former father-in-law] Oliver Cromwell, Henry Ireton and John Bradshaw were exhumed from and mutilated in a posthumous execution.

Evelyn's Diary. 30 Jan 1661. This day (Oh, the stupendous and inscrutable judgments of God!) were the carcasses of those arch-rebels, [his former father-in-law] Cromwell, Bradshawe (the judge who condemned his Majesty (age 30)), and Ireton (son-in-law to the Usurper), dragged out of their superb tombs in Westminster [Map] among the Kings, to Tyburn [Map], and hanged on the gallows there from nine in the morning till six at night, and then buried under that fatal and ignominious. Monument in a deep pit; thousands of people who had seen them in all their pride being spectators. Look back at October 22 1658, and be astonished! and fear God and honor the King; but meddle not with them who are given to change!

In 1662 [his former wife] Bridget Cromwell (age 38) died.

Ancestors of Henry Ireton 1611-1651

Great x 1 Grandfather: German Ireton

GrandFather: William Ireton

Father: German Ireton

Henry Ireton