Randy's political heroes.

Henry VIII starts English modernity by making us a sovereign, self-governing entity. He establishes the absolute power of the King-in-Parliament as the only legitimate jurisdiction in England.

Elisabeth I and Lord Burghley actually make this work and start us on a course of constitutional development as a mixed constitution of monarchy, aristocracy & democracy.

Then it's John Pym. Leader of the opposition to Charles I in the Long Parliament he manipulated Charles into walking into the chamber to arrest him and the other leaders, thus starting the Civil War. He then made an alliance with the Scots & designed the foundations of a victory.

Cromwell. Beside rising up in the Civil War and helping design the New Model Army. For me he is important in establishing English authority throughout the British Isles, something the Kings struggled to do.

Thomas Fairfax, Baron Fairfax. The Supreme Commander of the Parliamentary Forces at the start of the war, he got disillusioned with the rise of Cromwell & had no hand in the King's death. He restored Charles II militarily and provided stability and continuity in that transition

George Villiers, Earl of Clarenden. Charles I's chief advisor he got frustated and left England in the peace of 1646. He become advisor to Charles II in exile. Like Fairfax he became an architect of the Restoration.

John Milton. His Areopagitica is one of the first cases free speech in English history. Free speech is the basis of all sound polities. It's degradation today is one of our main problems.

William of Orange. The old Dutchman here also represents the the other architects of the Glorious Revolution. He not only secured Britain as independent from Europe again by expelling Catholic James but had an active anti-Louis XIV policy and checking French power

The Duke of Malborough. He expertly defeated Louis XIV in the War of Spanish Succession. Thus fulfilling William's goal of protecting Protestant Europe and maintaining a balance of power on the continent

Robert Harely, Earl of Oxford ans Mortimer. The Treasurer during this time he sorted out the public finances for the wars with Louis XIV. He helped negiotate the Treaty of Utrecht and got us Gibraltar. A kind of proto-prime minister. Knew when to make war and when to make peace.

More to come.