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Following the English Civil War Oliver Cromwell basically took over England as Lord Protector. While he probably wouldn't fit all definitions of a military dictator he did take power as a result of his personal military power. As well as that dictator was a position in ancient Rome given to leaders to defend Rome in times of crisis. The title gave them the right to rule personally without having to go to the senate and became superfluous after Augustus and the implementation of the Imperial system.