Henry Vane the Younger

Common card · No. 456538

Sir Henry Vane (1613 – 14 June 1662), often referred to as Harry Vane and Henry Vane the Younger to distinguish him from his father, was an English politician and colonial administrator. He was briefly present in North America, serving one term as the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1636-37), and supported the creation of Roger Williams' Rhode Island Colony and Harvard College. A proponent of religious tolerance, as governor, he defended Anne Hutchinson and her right to teach religious topics in her home; this put him in direct conflict with the Puritan leaders in the Massachusetts Colony. He returned to England after losing re-election and eventually, Hutchinson was banned from the colony. He was a leading Parliamentarian during the English Civil War and worked closely with Oliver Cromwell. He played no part in the execution of King Charles I in 1649. He left Parliament in disgust at Pride's Purge in December 1648 and did not return until weeks after the King's execution. He...

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