Charles Fleetwood

Charles Fleetwood
Portrait by Robert Walker
Commander-in-Chief & Committee of Safety
In office June 1659 – December 1659
Lord Deputy of Ireland
In office September 1652 – July 1657
English Council of State
In office February 1651 – July 1652
Member of Parliament for Marlborough
In office May 1646 – January 1655 (reseated May 1659)
Personal details
Born	Fleetwood c. 1618 Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire, England
Died	4 October 1692(1692-10-04) (aged 74) Stoke Newington, London, England
Resting place	Bunhill Fields
Spouse(s)	(1) Frances Smith (1641–1651) (2) Bridget Cromwell (1652–1662) (3) Mary Coke (1663–1684)
Children	(1) Frances (1642–1711); Smith (1644–1708) (2) Cromwell (1653–1688); Ann (1654–1660); Mary (1656–1722)
Alma mater	Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Occupation	Soldier and politician
Military service
Rank	Major General
Battles/wars	Wars of the Three Kingdoms First Newbury Siege of Banbury Castle Siege of York Marston Moor Naseby Langport Bristol 1645 Basing House Oxford Dunbar Worcester

Charles Fleetwood (c. 1618 – 4 October 1692) was an English lawyer from Northamptonshire, who served with the Parliamentarian army during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A close associate of Oliver Cromwell, to whom he was related by marriage, Fleetwood held a number of senior political and administrative posts under the Commonwealth, including Lord Deputy of Ireland from 1652 to 1655.

After Cromwell's death in September 1658, Fleetwood initially supported his son Richard Cromwell as Lord Protector, before forcing him from power in April 1659. Together with John Lambert, he dominated government for a little over a year before being outmaneuvered by George Monck.

Following the Stuart Restoration, Fleetwood was excluded from the Act of Indemnity of 1660, but escaped prosecution since he had not been involved in the Execution of Charles I in January 1649. Instead, he was barred from public office, and lived quietly in Stoke Newington, where he died on 4 October 1692.