Sir Thomas Fairfax
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The Right Honourable The Lord Fairfax of Cameron |
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|---|---|
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| Nickname(s) |
Black Tom Rider of the White Horse |
| Born |
17 January 1612 Denton Hall, Denton, West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 12 November 1671 (aged 59) Nun Appleton, West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| Buried at | Bilbrough, Yorkshire |
| Allegiance |
 New Model Army
|
| Rank | Lord General |
| Battles/wars |
Battle of Marston Moor Battle of Naseby Siege of Oxford Siege of Colchester Suppression of Leveller mutiny |
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron (17 January 1612 – 12 November 1671), also known as Sir Thomas, Lord Fairfax, was a general and Parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War. An adept and talented commander, Fairfax led Parliament to many victories, notably the crucial Battle of Naseby, becoming effectively military ruler of the new republic, but was eventually overshadowed by his subordinate Oliver Cromwell, who was more politically adept and radical in action against Charles I. Fairfax became unhappy with Cromwell's policy and publicly refused to take part in Charles's show trial. Eventually he resigned, leaving Cromwell to control the republic. Because of this, and also his honourable battlefield conduct and his active role in the Restoration of the monarchy after Cromwell's death, he was exempted from the retribution exacted on many other leaders of the revolution. His dark hair and eyes and a swarthy complexion earned him the nickname "Black Tom".
Thomas Fairfax was born at Denton Hall, halfway between Ilkley and Otley in the West Riding of Yorkshire, on 17 January 1612, the eldest son of Ferdinando Fairfax, 2nd Lord Fairfax of Cameron (his family title of Lord Fairfax of Cameron was in the peerage of Scotland, then still independent from England, which was why he was able to sit in the English House of Commons after he inherited it). He studied at St John's College, Cambridge, and Gray's Inn (1626–28), then volunteered to join Sir Horace Vere's expedition to fight for the Protestant cause in the Netherlands.
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