Thomas Blagge


Colonel Thomas Blagge was an English soldier, a supporter of Charles I in the English Civil War.

Life

He came from Horningsheath, Suffolk, and was Groom of the Chamber to Charles I. From 1642 he was Governor of Wallingford Castle, and commanded a foot regiment of 1000 men. He fought against various Roundhead commanders including Lawrence Crawford and Richard Baxter. In 1646 he was the last to surrender a major English stronghold to Oliver Cromwell's forces, following a siege of the castle by Sir Thomas Fairfax. He refused to give in until he had the permission of Charles I. He was a supporter of Charles II, fighting at the battle of Worcester in 1651 and was made Governor of Yarmouth but died 6 months after the Restoration. He is buried in Westminster Abbey. His daughter Margaret Blagge married the politician Sidney Godolphin and she was the subject of a book by John Evelyn entitled .