English Civil War

The term English Civil War (or Wars) refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651. The first (1642–1645) and the second (1648–1649) civil wars pitted the supporters of King Charles I against the supporters of the Long Parliament, while the third (1649-1651) was between supporters of Charles II and supporters of the Rump Parliament. The third war ended with the Parliamentary victory at the Battle of Worcester on September 3, 1651.

The First English Civil War

:Main article First English Civil War.

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The "Long Parliament", having controverted the king's authority, raised an army led by Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex. The purpose of this army was twofold: it was to defeat both an invasion from Scotland and also the attempts by the king and his supporters to restore the monarchy's power. Charles I, in the meantime, had left London and also raised an army using the archaic system of a Commission of Array. He raised the royal standard at Nottingham in August.

Related Topics:
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex - London - Commission of Array - Nottingham

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In September 1642, King Charles I raised his standard in the market square of Wellington, a small, though highly influential, market town in the English Midland county of Shropshire and addressed his troops the next day at nearby Orleton Hall. He declared that he would uphold the Protestant Religion, the Laws of England, and the Liberty of Parliament. The "Wellington Declaration" (otherwise known as the Declaration of Wellington) was held to be so important that the Royal Mint stamped its slogans on the reverse of the 10/- silver coins RELIG:PROT:LEG:ANG:LIBER:PAR and silver half crowns (2/6) REL.PRO.LEG.ANG.LIB.PAR that it produced at that time. The inscriptions abbreviate the words "RELIGIO PROTESTANTIUM, LEGES ANGLIAE, LIBERTAS PARLIAMENTI", which is the declaration in Latin.

Related Topics:
1642 - Wellington - Shropshire - Orleton Hall - Latin

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At the outset of the conflict, much of the country was neutral, though the Royal Navy and most English cities favoured Parliament, while the king found considerable support in rural communities. It is thought that between them, both sides had only about 15,000 men. However, the war quickly spread and eventually involved every level of society throughout the British Isles. Many areas attempted to remain neutral but found it impossible to withstand both the King and Parliament. On one side the king and his supporters fought for traditional government in Church and state. On the other, supporters of Parliament sought radical changes in religion and economic policy and major reforms in the distribution of power at the national level. In addition, Parliament was not a united body, at one point in the nine years of war there were more members of Parliament and Lords in the King's Oxford Parliament than there were at Westminster.

Related Topics:
Royal Navy - British Isles - Oxford Parliament

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Parliament did, however, have more resources at its disposal, due to its possession of all major cities including the large arsenals at Hull and London. For his part, Charles hoped that quick victories would negate Parliament's advantage in materiel. This precipitated the first major siege, the first siege of Hull in July 1642, which provided a decisive victory for Parliament.

Related Topics:
Hull - London - Materiel - First siege of Hull - 1642

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The first pitched battle at Edgehill proved inconclusive, but both the Royalist and Parliamentarian sides claimed it as a victory. One of the king's outstanding officers, his nephew, Prince Rupert of the Palatinate, proved himself a dashing cavalry commander. But a minor part in the battle on the other side went to a cavalry troop raised by a country gentleman, evangelical puritan, and former Member of Parliament named Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell would later devise the New Model Army system still evident in military organisation today. The New model featured a unified command structure and professionalism, which would firmly swing military advantage towards Parliament. The second field action of the war, the stand-off at Turnham Green, saw Charles forced to withdraw to Oxford. This city would serve as his base for the remainder of the war.

Related Topics:
Pitched battle - Edgehill - Royalist - Prince Rupert of the Palatinate - Cavalry - Oliver Cromwell - New Model Army - Professional - Turnham Green - Oxford

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In 1643 the Royalist forces won at Adwalton Moor and gained control of most of Yorkshire. In the Midlands, a Parliamentary force under Sir John Gell besieged and captured Lichfield after the death of the original commander, Lord Brooke, and subsequently joined forces with Sir John Brereton to fight the inconclusive battle of Hopton Heath, where the Royalist commander, the earl of Northampton, was killed. Subsequent battles in the west of England at Lansdowne and at Roundway Down also went to the Royalists. Prince Rupert could then take Bristol. In the same year, Oliver Cromwell formed his troop of "Ironsides", a disciplined unit which demonstrated his military-leadership ability. With their assistance, he was victorious at the Battle of Gainsborough in July.

Related Topics:
1643 - Adwalton Moor - Yorkshire - Sir John Gell - Lichfield - Battle of Hopton Heath - Earl of Northampton - Lansdowne - Roundway Down - Bristol - Ironside - Battle of Gainsborough

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After an inconclusive battle at Newbury in September, on October 11, 1643, the Parliamentarian army won the Battle of Winceby, giving them control of Lincoln. Political manoeuvring on both sides now led Charles to negotiate a ceasefire in Ireland, freeing up English troops to fight on the Royalist side, while Parliament offered concessions to the Scots in return for aid and assistance.

Related Topics:
Newbury - October 11 - 1643 - Battle of Winceby - Lincoln - Ireland

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Parliament won at Marston Moor in 1644, gaining York with the help of the Scots. Cromwell's conduct in this battle proved decisive, and marked him out as a potential political as well as a military leader. The defeat at the Battle of Lostwithiel in Cornwall, however, was a serious reverse for Parliament in the south-west of England.

Related Topics:
Marston Moor - 1644 - York - Battle of Lostwithiel - Cornwall

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In 1645 Parliament reorganized its main forces into the New Model Army, under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax, with Cromwell as his second-in-command and Lieutenant-General of Horse. In what were, in retrospect, two decisive engagements — the Battles of Naseby on June 14 and of Langport on July 10 — Charles's armies were effectively destroyed.

Related Topics:
1645 - New Model Army - Thomas Fairfax - Lieutenant-General - Naseby - June 14 - Langport - July 10

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In the debris of his English realm, Charles attempted to recover stability by consolidating the Midlands. He began to form an axis between Oxford and Newark on Trent, Nottinghamshire. Those towns had become fortresses and more reliably his than others were. He took Leicester, which lies between them, but found his resources exhausted. Having little opportunity to replenish them, on May 1646, he sought shelter with a Scottish army at Southwell in Nottinghamshire. This marked the end of the First English Civil War.

Related Topics:
Midlands - Newark on Trent - Leicester - Southwell

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