Elizabeth Cromwell, Lady Protectress, and Political Culture 1647-1665

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I would like to investigate what the role of Oliver Cromwell'swife, given the title Lady Protectress, was understood to be, and what this can revealregarding political culture, particularly conceptions of power.In contrast to earlier periods, particularly late medieval history, where historians such asJ.L. Laynesmith and John Carmi Parsons have provided a clear idea of what the role of thequeen was, the role of the consort in the early seventeenth century has not been clearlyoutlined, and the significance of Elizabeth Cromwell's role of Lady Protectress has not beenconsidered at all.Academic interest in Elizabeth Cromwell, the wife of Oliver Cromwell, hasbeen very limited. In his ODNB entry, Peter Gaunt outlines Elizabeth's presence at publicevents before and after her husband's elevation to Lord Protector, and that she was styledLady Protectress, and after her husband's death as her highness dowager. He also arguesthat while she did feature in royalist newsbooks and propaganda, no one at the timeclaimed she had a significant political role, and while she may have had some limitedinfluence with her husband, there is no evidence to support this, and no member of herfamily seems to have gained advancement through her. However, even if she did not havea political role, she was still of value to royalist propagandists, as has been demonstrated byLaura Lunger Knoppers. Studying the cookbooks which purported to be the recipes ofQueen Henrietta Maria and Elizabeth Cromwell, she has highlighted the importance of domestic language for legitimising or delegitimising political power, arguing that a portrayalof Elizabeth as vulgar and common was designed to reinforce the restored monarchy.