Prince Rupert of the Rhine

For the city in British Columbia, see Prince Rupert, British Columbia.

Career During the Civil War

In 1642, King Charles appointed him to lead the Royalist cavalry, and he largely deserves the credit for their early successes. His dashing reputation earned him the nickname of the "Mad Cavalier". He reputedly took a large dog, a poodle named "Boye", into battle with him on several occasions. Throughout the Civil War the soldiers of Parliament feared this dog, claiming it had supernatural powers.

Related Topics:
1642 - Cavalry - Mad Cavalier - Poodle - Parliament

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Rupert became General of the Horse, and his reputation prospered after routing a Parliamentarian force at Powick Bridge (23 September 1642); however he overextended himself at the Battle of Edgehill (23 October 1642) and left the Royalist forces unsupported by cavalry at a critical time which cost them the victory and led almost to defeat.

Related Topics:
Powick Bridge - 23 September - 1642 - Battle of Edgehill - 23 October

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After Edgehill Rupert asked Charles for a swift cavalry attack on London before the Earl of Essex's army could return. The King's senior counsellors, however, urged him to advance slowly on the capital with the whole army. By the time they arrived, the city had organised defences against them and the Royalists had lost their best chance of winning the war. Nevertheless, Rupert continued to impress militarily; in 1643 he captured Bristol and in 1644 led the relief of Newark.

Related Topics:
Earl of Essex - 1643 - Bristol - 1644 - Newark

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In November 1644 Rupert gained appointment as General of the Royalist army. This increased already marked tensions between him and a number of the king's counsellors. In May 1645 Rupert captured Leicester but a reversal at the Battle of Naseby a month later would prove politically damaging.

Related Topics:
1644 - 1645 - Leicester - Battle of Naseby

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After Naseby, Rupert regarded the Royalist cause as lost, and urged Charles to conclude a peace with Parliament. Charles, ever the political ingenu, still believed he could win the war. Faced with an impossible situation, Rupert surrendered Bristol in September 1645; in response, Charles dismissed him from his service. After demanding a court-martial, which acquitted him, Rupert played no further part in the Royalist army command. After the fall of Oxford in 1646, Parliament banished both him and his brother from England.

Related Topics:
September - 1645 - Oxford - 1646

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For some time after this Rupert commanded the troops formed of English exiles in the French army, and received a wound at Marshal de Gassion's siege of La Bassée in 1647. Then, following a degree of reconciliation with Charles, he obtained command of a Royalist fleet. A long and unprofitable naval campaign followed, which extended from Kinsale to Lisbon and from Toulon to Cape Verde. However, following a naval defeat by Admiral Robert Blake, Rupert took refuge in the West Indies. There he followed the life of a buccaneer, preying on English shipping. But the prince again quarrelled with the Royalist advisers, and spent six obscure years (1654 to 1660) in Germany, vainly attempting (as also before and afterwards) to obtain his rightful apanage as a younger son from his brother Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine.

Related Topics:
De Gassion - La Bassée - Kinsale - Lisbon - Toulon - Cape Verde - Admiral - Robert Blake - West Indies - Buccaneer - English - Apanage - Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine

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