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Oliver Cromwell's rise to prominence by 1646 has been a matter of much historical debate, with many historians disagreeing about the importance of Cromwell's personal and social ties before the Civil War. Many such as John Morrill have played down the significance of these 'tenuous' ties he inherited by birth, re-assessing the traditional view of Cromwell's early life up until 1640. Indeed, Cromwell's achievement in progressing from the lower end of the gentry, being described as a …

…from this Ordinance saw him promoted to Lieutenant General of Cavalry, leading onto the Parliamentarian victory at Naseby in 1645. Therefore, through the Civil War not only had he had come of age as a soldier integral to Parliament's victory but also as a key politician. Hence, this major military figure that had emerged from the Civil War would now rise to prominence and shape political and religious events over the next decade and a half.