Monday, March 3, 2014

Artz of the Battle of Worcester

Every week I wait for what will inspire me for the following week’s Artz focus. Lately it has been family ghosts who were artists.
As I was pondering and ghost hunting I came upon my 9th Great Grandfather Thomas Gilpin. He was involved in an interesting bit of History, the Battle of Worcester. This occurred on 3 September 1651 in Worcester England. It was to be the final battle of the English Civil War. Oliver Cromwell and his Parliamentarian soldiers defeat King Charles II and his Royalist Soldiers.

                                                       Oliver Cromwell by Robert Walker

Cromwell established the commonwealth of England and made himself her protectorate. Grandfather Gilpin commanded a regiment of Ironsides at the battle of Worcester. The Ironsides were Parliamentarian troops in the Calvary. The name comes from Old Ironsides a nickname many had for Cromwell. The entire Gilpin family remained loyal supporters of Cromwell up until his death in 1658. In 1661 Grandfather Gilpin was arrested for refusing to sign an oath of allegiance to King Charles II who was back on the throne. 
                                                          Portrait of King Charles II / Studio of Adriaen Hanneman

King Charles escaped Cromwell and after 6 weeks of adventure he made his way to France. During his travel through Bristol; Jane Lane, the sister of Colonel Lane in King Charles Army disguised the King as a man servant and traveled with him to Bristol where Charles was to board a ship for France. There was no ship and his adventure continued.
Henry Lascelles; Jane (née Lane), Lady Fisher; King Charles II probably by or after Stefano della Bella etching

This week we present the Artz of the Battle of Worcester. 


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