Who was John Hampden?

John Hampden was born in 1595. He was born to an eminent wealthy family which included Lords of Great and Little Hampden. He was the eldest son of William Hampden and his mother Elizabeth Cromwell was Oliver Cromwell’s aunt. His father passed away when he was three years old.

He received a Grammar school education and later attended Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1613 he studied Law and swiftly became a specialist in taxation. In 1619 he married Elizabeth Symeon and they had nine children of whom seven survived into adulthood.

In 1625 Hampden was selected as M.P for Wendover. In 1627, Hampden was imprisoned for nearly a year for refusing to contribute to a forced loan demanded by King Charles I. When Hampden’s close friend John Eliot died in 1632 after being imprisoned by the King; Hampden’s animosity for the King became complete.

In 1635 he revisited the payment of “ship money”- a tax imposed by the King for the equipping of his Navy. The case was referred for trial and seven of the judges upheld for the King and five for Hampden. This caused a rampant rebellion to the tax. Despite losing the case, Hampden did not pay the ship money and it was regarded as a moral victory against tyranny. Hampden rose to national prominence as a defender of liberty.

During the Long Parliament which gathered in November1640, Hampden was known for his skill as a moderator and tactician in stormy debates. He was admired as a gentleman of integrity. After his support for the Grand Remonstrance of 1641, Hampden was one of the five members accused of treason and whose arrest was demanded by the King.

King Charles I led several hundreds of soldiers to Parliament to arrest them however Parliament received news of the King’s approach and insisted the five men should leave from the back way. Thus they evaded the arrest. The five men were granted refuge by the City of London as a way of resistance to the King.

The five members returned to Westminster triumphant. The King later refused to sign the Militia Bill (giving parliament power over the military).

Aware of the inevitability of war, Hampden set about recruiting what was to become one of the best and long standing regiments.

He was mortally wounded at the Battle of Chalgrove Field in Oxfordshire. He died from his wounds in Thame six days later. Hampden was buried at the parish church of Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire. His great grandson constructed a monument to his memory in 1743.

After his death, Hampden was remembered for his bravery and integrity. He was not against the King as such but wished to see the monarchy adapted to the needs of the people.