The History journal team are delighted to launch their first in a series of films interviewing the authors at the cutting edge of historical research.

Today, we are thrilled to welcome John Morrill, professor emeritus of the University of Cambridge and emeritus fellow of Selwyn College, Cambridge, and Dr Joel Halcomb, Lecturer in Early Modern History, from the University of East Anglia. We discuss their most recent addition to the body of work on Oliver Cromwell, The Letters, Writings and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell recently published by Oxford University Press.

These volumes provide a new scholarly edition of the surviving words and speech acts of Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) and consists of more than 1,000 texts. Oliver Cromwell rose from lowly provincial origins to become the most important MP and army officer of the British civil wars. He undertook the most complete conquest of Ireland and Scotland ever achieved and spent the last five years of his life as head of state, as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Though revered by many, his record in Ireland, where thousands were massacred by Cromwell's New Model Army, has made him one of the most hated figures in that nation's history. A passionate and captivating communicator, his letters and speeches reveal the public and the private man more completely than for almost any other early modern political leader.

Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of Cromwell, how technology enabled this large project and discover some very surprising insights into one of Britain’s greatest and most controversial generals.