Cromwell dead in 1651

Question for you all, let’s say on 31sr August,
Oliver Cromwell dies, what are the consequences? Both for the commonwealth, for the royalists and Europe as a whole?
 
Fairfax is reinstated as CinC.(He resigned, despite Cromwell et al wishing him to stay on, over the war with Scotland)
He is by far the best regarded military commander available (see what happened OTL in 1659 when 1200 of Lambert's army deserted him because Fairfax opposed him).
Now he was still wedded to the idea of the Commonwealth in 1650/51 so an immediate return of Charles II isn't likely but the Restoration MIGHT happen a few years early as a different response to the end of the Rump Parliament. I strongly doubt that he would become Lord Protector.
 
Fairfax is reinstated as CinC.(He resigned, despite Cromwell et al wishing him to stay on, over the war with Scotland)
He is by far the best regarded military commander available (see what happened OTL in 1659 when 1200 of Lambert's army deserted him because Fairfax opposed him).
Now he was still wedded to the idea of the Commonwealth in 1650/51 so an immediate return of Charles II isn't likely but the Restoration MIGHT happen a few years early as a different response to the end of the Rump Parliament. I strongly doubt that he would become Lord Protector.
Interesting would he merely push for more parliamentary governance then? Or would the army fracture in on itself over this?
 
Oliver Cromwell dies, what are the consequences?

Immediately, it's going to cause chaos in the Parliamentary army, because the PoD is three days before the Battle of Worcester, during the preparations for the assault. The chances of the result being reversed are minimal, given that the Royalist force was besieged and outnumbered almost two-to-one, but there's going to be at the very least a short period for his replacement (who was Cromwell's 2iC at Worcester?) to get to grips with his new job. This assumes he was hit and killed by random fire from the city. If he died of illness, developing over the previous days or weeks, it could potentially change the entire course of the Worcester campaign.
 
Immediately, it's going to cause chaos in the Parliamentary army, because the PoD is three days before the Battle of Worcester, during the preparations for the assault. The chances of the result being reversed are minimal, given that the Royalist force was besieged and outnumbered almost two-to-one, but there's going to be at the very least a short period for his replacement (who was Cromwell's 2iC at Worcester?) to get to grips with his new job. This assumes he was hit and killed by random fire from the city. If he died of illness, developing over the previous days or weeks, it could potentially change the entire course of the Worcester campaign.
Oh how so re the illness part?
 
Immediately, it's going to cause chaos in the Parliamentary army, because the PoD is three days before the Battle of Worcester, during the preparations for the assault. The chances of the result being reversed are minimal, given that the Royalist force was besieged and outnumbered almost two-to-one, but there's going to be at the very least a short period for his replacement (who was Cromwell's 2iC at Worcester?) to get to grips with his new job. This assumes he was hit and killed by random fire from the city. If he died of illness, developing over the previous days or weeks, it could potentially change the entire course of the Worcester campaign.

John Lambert? Maybe?
 
I think that Fairfax would push for elections and a new parliament instead of staging a coup d'etat as Cromwell did. However given the Rump Parliament's desire to hang on to power as long as possible it would certainly alienate the more radical elements of the army. To begin with Fairfax may well have been able to keep them under some sort of control, but somebody (Overton?) would encourage dissent. In such circumstances Charles could well find himself pushing at an open door.
 
Oh how so re the illness part?

Because the Battle of Worcester was not caused by two armies bumping into each other - it was a siege brought about by the culmination of weeks of manoeuvre, with the Parliamentarians isolating Charles' army from reinforcements, forcing him to contract into a small area around the city, and finally launching their assault. Since the first two phases weren't complete until 30 August, if Cromwell was ill during this phase it would change the decisions made and orders given, probably more slowly than historically, and potentially allowing Charles to either escape the trap, or confront the New Model on better ground and with stronger forces.
 
Interesting, I think lambert or ireton might assume command should Cromwell die. And agreed the rump will hold on as long as possible
 
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