Ironside (cavalry)
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Ironside was the name given to a trooper in the cavalry formed by English political leader Oliver Cromwell in the 17th century. The name came from "Old Ironsides", one of Cromwell's nicknames.
Cromwell trained and equipped the troop early in the English Civil War. The troop formed the nucleus of the New Model Army. The Ironsides' use of armour and their disciplined formation and obedience to their commanders, at a period when the majority of both armies consisted largely of ill-equipped rabble, made them virtually invincible.
The Ironsides were Puritans who often attributed their glory in battle to God, whom they believed they were fighting for. Their religious beleifs extended to the field where they adhered to strict ethical codes. The army did not drink or gamble. They did not partake in the traditional spoils of war and did not rape or pillage defeated opponents. It was this discipline that made them more organized on the battlefield, and thus a more formidable enemy.
References
Spielvogel Jackson J., 1939. Western Cigilization : Comprehensive Volume (4th ed.)