Thomas Pride

General Sir Thomas Pride (died 23 October 1658) was a parliamentarian commander in the Civil War, best known as one of the Regicides of King Charles I and as the instigator of "Pride's Purge".

Pride is stated to have been brought up by the parish of St Bride's, London but is thought to have been born in Somerset.

He commenced his adult life as a drayman and a brewer. At the beginning of the Civil War he served as a captain in the New Model Army under Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex and was eventually promoted to the rank of colonel. He distinguished himself at the Battle of Preston in 1648 and with his regiment took part in the military occupation of London in December 1648, which was the first step towards bringing to trial of King Charles I (1625-1649).

The next step was the expulsion of the Presbyterian and Royalist elements in the House of Commons, who were thought to be prepared to reach a settlement with Charles. This, resolved by the army council and ordered by the lord general, Fairfax, was carried out by Colonel Pride's regiment. Taking his stand at the entrance of the House of Commons with a written list in his hand, he caused the arrest or exclusion of the members, who were pointed out to him. After about a hundred members had been thus dealt with, the reduced House of Commons, now reduced to about eighty in number, proceeded to bring the king to trial. This marked the end of the Long Parliament and the beginning of the Rump Parliament.

Pride was one of the judges of the king and one of the Regicides of King Charles I, having signed and sealed the king's death-warrant. His coat of arms appears on his seal.

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