John Lilburne

John Lilburne ( * ca 1614; † August 28, 1657 ), also known as Freeborn John, was one of the best-known spokesman of the radical democratic " Levellers " in seventeenth-century England. He is the brother of Robert Lilburne.

Lilburne was born as the son of wealthy staff at the English court. At the age of 22, he led a Puritan writings from Holland, which brought him into conflict with the censors, including the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers ( en. ). Lilburne was imprisoned and tortured. In 1640 he was released at the request of Oliver Cromwell by the Long Parliament.

In the English Civil War he fought as an officer on the part of parliamentarians. In 1645 he left the army because he refused the peace treaty with the Scottish royalists and especially the associated Presbyterian church order in England.

In the following years he became the spokesman of the so-called " Levellers ", who advocated political equality of the English Civil, called " freeborn rights". In 1649 he presented a draft constitution based on this principle. There were several arrests, but initially lasted only briefly, as the London's population stood up for the popular Lilburne and threatened insurrection. 1652, after the suppression of the Levellers, he was banished. 1653 he was acquitted and returned to England where he was imprisoned for years yet; During this time he participated in the faith of the Quakers.

Due to poor health, he was released in 1657; Cromwell found out, he ordered to imprison him again, but Lilburne had already died.