Another progressive and successful idea to enhance to leadership and efficiency of the "New Model Army" was the Self-Denying Ordinance of April 1647, which was proposed to Parliament by Oliver Cromwell. This removed Members of Parliament from taking any military command. In other words if you were both an MP and a commander, you would have to give up one of these jobs. This created 2 new "specializations" in Government, and separated power. One could pursue to be a politician or a commander, creating better men suited for both jobs. This was necessary during the civil war because some aristocrats in command seemed unwilling to really strike a hard blow at their own King and his forces.

Tombs, Robert. The English and their History. First Edition. Vintage Books, 2014.

Kishlansky, Mark. "The Case of the Army Truly Stated: The Creation of the New Model Army." Past & Present, no. 81 (1978): 51-74. http://www.jstor.org/stable/650363.

Image thanks to “Picture Cromwell Proposing the Self-Denying Ordinance.” Picture, oreald.com/picture2592.html.

An interesting aspect of the men making up the army is that it was a purely British army. Described by Robert Tombs, in his textbook, The English and Their History, "a "New Model Army" of 22,000 men was formed under central, not local, control, directly paid by Parliament, and excluding foreign mercenaries" (Tombs 233). Every man in the army was fighting not only for their life and their religion, but also for their country. The idea of an army made of only men of the nation may seem normal today, but before this, mercenaries, or soldiers of fortune would make up a large part of your army. These soldiers fought to make a living, not to change to political and social aspects of England. The rest of your army would be a levy, or civilian militia in modern terms. In other words recruiting, training, and paying an army will build you a mighty force, appose to raising a militia and hiring every soldier you can find.

With the creation of the New model army also came about a modern recruitment system. The old system was flawed to say the least, "Parliament's armies were recruited from regional associations but soldiers were often reluctant to campaign away from their local areas" (Plant) Cromwell changed this. He proposed a National army with no regional associations. You joined the army, trained, had an income, and got sent wherever Parliament thought it best. This aloud England to have a strong army that could deploy anywhere necessary with ease.

Plant, David. “The New Model Army.” The New Model Army, 2007, bcw-project.org/military/new-  model-army. 

Tombs, Robert. The English and their History. First Edition. Vintage Book, 2014.

Oliver Cromwell's "New Model" Army was one of the first professional standing armies of England. I am curious why this army was so effective, in other words what made it new, and to uncover the true significance of having a permanent army that is payed and maintained by the government.


Image thanks to “The Coldstream Guard .” General Monck's Coldstream Guards Re-Enactment, 1930, www.generalmonck.com/page3.htm.