Fairfax, THOMAS, LORD

Fairfax, THOMAS, LORD, generally known as Sir Thomas Fairfax, parliamentary general, was the son of Ferdinando, Lord Fairfax, and was born January 17, 1612, at Denton, Yorkshire. He studied at St John's College, Cambridge, and from 1629 served as a volunteer in Holland, under Lord Vere, whose fourth daughter, Anne, he married (1637) shortly after his return to England. On the outbreak of the Civil War in 1642 Fairfax espoused the cause of the Parliament, and was appointed general of horse under his father, who commanded the parliamentary forces in the north. He distinguished himself so much by his valour, prudence, and energy, especially at Marston Moor (1644), where he was wounded, that in 1645, when the Earl of Essex resigned the office of general of the parliamentary forces, Fairfax was appointed to the supreme command; but the real ruling genius of the army was Cromwell, who had risen to be lieutenant-general. In June 1650, on Fairfax's refusal to march against the Scots, who had proclaimed Charles II. king, Cromwell was appointed commander-in-chief in his stead. Fairfax now withdrew into private life. After the death of Cromwell he laboured for the restoration of the king, and gathered troops to assist General Monk against Lambert. He was appointed head of the commission despatched to the Hague in 1660 to arrange for the return of Charles II. He died at Nunappleton, Yorkshire, 12th November 1671. Fairfax wrote several works, prose and poetic, including two memoirs on the Civil War. See his Correspondence (4 vols. 1848-49), and a Life by C. R. Markham (1870).