Timeline: The English Civil War, 1642-46 The Triennial Act passed, guaranteeing that Parliament will be called at least once every three years. Mar 22 Opening of the trial of the Earl of Strafford. May 03 The House of Commons draws up the Protestation Oath against popery. May 05 John Pym reveals details of the "First Army Plot": an alleged conspiracy by Royalist officers to coerce Parliament. May 10 The King reluctantly assents to the act of attainder against the Earl of Strafford. May 12 Execution of the Earl of Strafford. Jul 05 Parliament abolishes the courts of High Commission and Star Chamber; the Council of Wales and the North abolished; powers of the Privy Council suppressed. Sep 01 The House of Commons passes a resolution for the destruction of altar rails, crucifixes and other 'innovations' introduced under the Laudian reforms. Oct 23 News of the Irish Uprising reaches London. Dec 01 The Grand Remonstrance presented to King Charles at Hampton Court. Dec 27-9 Riots at Westminster against bishops and papists.

Popular support for Parliament forces the King and royal family to leave London. Feb 12 The King refuses to surrender control of the militia to Parliament. Mar 5 Parliament passes the Militia Ordinance , despite the King's objections. Mar 19 King Charles sets up his court at York. Apr 23 Sir John Hotham prevents the King and his entourage from entering Hull , the site of England's main northern arsenal. Jun 01 The Nineteen Propositions passed by Parliament, requiring the King to give up control of the militia and the right to appoint ministers. Jun 06 The King issues the first Commissions of Array . Jun 18 The King rejects the Nineteen Propositions. Jul 02 The fleet declares for Parliament and accepts the Earl of Warwick as its Admiral. Jul 04 Parliament appoints the Committee of Safety . Jul 10 The first military action of the English Civil War takes place when a Royalist raiding party approaches Hull to burn down buildings outside the town walls, but is driven away by gunfire from the defenders. Jul 12 Parliament resolves to raise an army. The Earl of Essex commissioned Captain-General. Aug 21 Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice join the King.

Aug 22 King Charles raises the royal standard at Nottingham Castle. King and Parliament now at war. Sep 07 Sir William Waller captures Portsmouth for Parliament. Sep 09 The Earl of Essex marches from London against the King. Sep 23 Action at Powick Bridge near Worcester: Prince Rupert routs Essex's advance guard. Oct 23 Battle of Edgehill : the Earl of Essex fails to prevent the Royalists advancing on London. Nov 13 Royalist advance on London halted at Turnham Green . Nov 29 The King's army withdraws to Oxford which remains the Royalist capital for the rest of the war. Battle of Braddock Down : Sir Ralph Hopton defeats Colonel Ruthven and secures Cornwall for the King. Feb 01 Treaty negotiations open at Oxford. Mar 27 Parliament issues it first ordinance for sequestration (confiscation of Royalist estates). Apr 14 Oxford treaty negotiations break down. Apr 14 The Earl of Essex besieges Reading . Jun 30 Battle of Adwalton Moor : The Earl of Newcastle defeats Lord Fairfax to secure most of Yorkshire for the King. Jul 01 The Westminster Assembly meets to discuss reform of the Anglican church.

Jul 13 Battle of Roundway Down : Sir William Waller's Western Association army destroyed. Jul 26 Bristol falls to Prince Rupert. Aug 10 The King's army besieges Gloucester . Sep 02 The Scottish invasion : the Army of the Covenant crosses the River Tweed and marches into England. Jan 22 King Charles formally opens the Oxford Parliament . Feb 16 The Committee for Both Kingdoms formed to co-ordinate the Parliamentarian and Scottish armies. Mar 12 The trial of Archbishop Laud opens in London. Mar 21 Prince Rupert relieves the siege of Newark . Mar 29 Sir William Waller defeats Lord Forth and Lord Hopton at the battle of Cheriton ; Parliament's first decisive victory of the war. Apr 20 Allied Parliamentarian and Scottish armies besiege York . May 16 Prince Rupert marches for the relief of York. Jul 02 Battle of Marston Moor : Royalist power in the north of England ended. Aug 30 The Marquis of Montrose raises his standard in Scotland. Sep 02 The Earl of Essex abandons his army at Lostwithiel . Sep 18 Battle of Montgomery : Parliamentarians gain control of central Wales.

Oct 27 Second battle of Newbury : Parliamentarian commanders bickering. Nov 25 Oliver Cromwell presents his complaints against the leadership of the Earl of Manchester in the House of Commons. HistoryMole Timeline: The English Civil War (1642-1649) The English Civil War (1642-1649) View or Print as PDF Introduction The war fought in England between the royalist forces (the "cavaliers") and revolutionary forces (the "roundheads", "puritans" or "parliamentarians") culminated in the beheading of King Charles I of England and the start of a period of time when England became a republic ruled by parliament. The revolutionary forces were led by Oliver Cromwell who later became the leader of parliament and was at one time invited to become King. After Cromwell's death and a period of instability, the restoration of the monarchy took place when King Charles I's son, Charles II was invited back to the throne. Timeline 4 Jan 1642 CE English King Charles I attempted to arrest five members of the English parliament. This attempt failed, since they were spirited away before the king's troops arrived.

The English Civil War - History Learning Site Home » Stuart England » The English Civil War The English Civil War Citation: C N Trueman "The English Civil War" historylearningsite.co.uk. The History Learning Site, 17 Mar 2015. 16 Aug 2016. The English Civil War started in 1642 when Charles I raised his royal standard in Nottingham. The split between Charles and Parliament was such that neither side was willing to back down over the principles that they held and war was inevitable as a way in which all problems could be solved. The country split into those who supported the king and those who supported Parliament – the classic ingredients for a civil war. As with most wars during the C17th, the English Civil War was not a long continuous war. Armies lacked mobility and the time taken to collect the most basic of equipment meant that there were long periods of time when no fighting was taking place despite England being at war at the time. The weather was also a major determining factor in whether armies could fight or not. Roads were no more than tracks and the winter could cut them up to make them beyond use. Therefore moving any armies around would be very difficult.

There were only three major battles in the English Civil War – Edge Hill (1642) Marston Moor (1644) and Naseby (1645). While it is difficult to give an exact breakdown of who supported who as there were regional variations, at a general level the nobility, landowners and Anglicans supported Charles I while those in the towns and cities supported Parliament. However, this is a generalisation and there were noblemen who supported Parliament and there were towns such as Newark that supported Charles. The first major battle of the English Civil War was at Edge Hill. While both sides claimed success, there was no decisive result from this battle. The following year, 1643, saw a series of smaller battles that were equally as indecisive in the sense that neither side dealt a fatal blow to the other. In 1643, Oliver Cromwell came more and more to the fore with his desire for a New Model Army. This new force was to have a decisive impact on the course of the English Civil War. In 1644, Charles lost control of the north of England as a result of a major defeat at the Battle of Marston Moor.

The combined armies of Parliament and the Scots heavily defeated the Royalists. In June 1645, Cromwell’s New Model Army inflicted a fatal blow to the king’s army at the Battle of Naseby. Charles did not recover from this defeat and his cause was lost. In 1646, Charles surrendered to the Scots rather than to Parliament. He hoped to take advantage of the fact that the Scottish and Parliamentary alliance was fragile and could collapse at any time. In fact, the Scots took advantage of Charles and sold him to Parliament for £400,000 in January 1647. The problem Parliament now had was what to do with Charles. The king actually helped in his own downfall. In November 1647, he escaped to Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight and in 1648 the short-lived second civil war broke out. The supporters of the king were defeated at Preston. All that Charles had proved to Parliament was that he could not be trusted.

Charles was tried at Westminster Hall in January 1649, and found guilty that he had “traitorously and maliciously levied war against the present Parliament and the people therein represented.” England 1603-1642 [ More on James ] The rough handling that the infant James had received from his Presbyterian tutors - particularly the dour George Buchanan (1506-82) - soured his view of Presbyterianism throughout his life. From the 1590's, James was in close contact with Robert Cecil, Lord Salisbury . James was very eager to ensure that he inherited the English throne, for England was a far richer and more powerful country than Scotland, and its nobility and clergy far less unruly than their Scottish counterparts. Salisbury became James I's chief minister and secured the downfall of Sir Walter Ralegh , who was convicted of treason in 1603. (It was alleged that Ralegh had plotted to install Arabella Stuart on the throne.

He spent some years in prison, was released in 1616 to find gold in the New World, but angered the Spanish and was executed in 1618 on the basis of his 1603 treason conviction). Robert Cecil became Lord Treasurer in 1608, Viscount Cranborne in 1604, and Earl of Salisbury in 1605. Cecil's power was to some extent counterbalanced by that of the Howard family, especially Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton (1540-1614), who had been imprisoned in Elizabeth's reign for intriguing with James' mother, Mary, Queen of Scots. James made Henry Howard Lord Privy Seal in 1605. Henry Howard was a man of great learning, but his involvement in the Overbury scandal tainted his final years. Another of James I's early favorites was Robert Carr (1590?-1645). Devoid of intellect, but extremely handsome, Carr became Viscount Rochester (1611), and Earl of Somerset (1613). The Overbury scandal led to his fall from favor. James I was as extravagant as Elizabeth I had been frugal.

He handed out titles, offices and pensions with a trowel. This made him popular in the short-term, but increased the financial problems of the crown. One method that James tried to raise money was impositions. These additional customs duties were seen as taxation by Parliament and as requiring parliamentary consent. In 1606 the Judges in Bate's Case ruled that impositions were legal, and the government continued to collect them despite protests in parliament. Salisbury tried to resolve the dispute by the Great Contract of 1610. This scheme involved James giving up impositions and other unpopular levies in exchange for a permanent income from Parliament. Negotiations initially made progress but collapsed in mutual distrust - the King thought that the sum he was been offered was too low (ï¿½200,000 p.a.), while Parliament could not bring itself to institute a permanent tax on land. Problems with the puritans continued. They had been optimistic that James would be more favorable to their cause than had Elizabeth and had presented him with Millenary Petition as he traveled to London for his coronation 1603.

In 1604 at the Hampton Court Conference, James showed himself as hostile as Richard Bancroft to puritan aspirations. Fortunately for the puritans, many bishops were more tolerant and sympathetic than James and Bancroft. James I continued Elizabeth's policy of fining Roman Catholics for recusancy. Philip III King of Spain 1598-1621 In 1604, James made peace with Spain which destroyed Catholic hopes of liberation by a Spanish invasion. A few Catholic gentlemen turned in desperation to violence. The Gunpowder Plot was a plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament when King, Lord and Commons were all present and then seize control of England. After the plan's disastrous failure, severe laws were passed against Catholics (in practice, they were rarely enforced). In fact, because of the absence of a foreign Catholic threat, James I's government could afford to be less severe than Elizabeth's - only twenty priests were executed between 1603 and 1625. 2. 1612-1618 The rapid rise of Henry Howard and Robert Carr was ended by a sensational case of divorce and murder: the Overbury scandal.

Robert Carr fell in love with Frances - the daughter of Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk. Unfortunately Frances was already married to the Earl of Essex (the son of Robert Devereux ). They had been married when children and had lived separately. When Essex arrived to claim his bride, Frances (who was attracted to Carr but not to Essex) did all she could to discourage any advances and then divorced him on the grounds of impotence. James took Frances' side in the matter and rigged the divorce court to ensure that France got her annulment (September 1613). Frances and Carr were married in December 1613. Ten days before the divorce was annulled a young gentleman - Thomas Overbury - died by poison in the Tower of London. In 1615, evidence emerged that he had been poisoned by an agent of Frances because he was about to reveal that she had been living as Carr's mistress before her divorce, and had used drugs and witchcraft to engineer her husband's impotence. There was no direct evidence of Carr's involvement in the murder, but enough suggestion of his and Henry Howard's complicity to lose James I's favor entirely.

The Howard faction was pro-Spanish, anti-puritan, tolerant of Roman Catholics, and supportive of royal power - this was more or less the opposite of the predominant opinion in the House of Commons. In 1614, the Addled Parliament had been dissolved without passing any laws or granting any taxes in part because of the Howards plots. (Continued disputes over impositions also caused trouble). The Howard faction also met opposition at court from George Abbot (Archbishop of Canterbury from 1611) and William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke (the richest nobleman in England). George Abbot decided to take advantage of James' weakness for handsome young men by introducing the king to his own client - the particularly handsome and charming George Villiers. James certainly fell for Villiers, making him an Earl in 1617, a Marquess in 1618, and a Duke of Buckingham in 1623. Unfortunately for Abbott, Villiers grew so powerful that he no longer had any need of Abbot's help, and began to make his own choices. 3.

1618-1628 During the early years of James reign, patronage was divided between various factions, but after 1618 all patronage was in the hands of Buckingham. This aroused great resentment. Buckingham's support for a marriage of Charles (James' heir) to a Spanish princess was also very unpopular. From 1618, Spain was at war with Frederick V, the Elector Palatine, (briefly King of Bohemia) and son-in-law of James I by his marriage to Elizabeth. Frederick was the leader of the German Protestant Union against Hapsburg attempts to reestablish Catholicism throughout the Holy Roman Empire. Territorial and dynastic problems also played their part in causing the Thirty Years War (1618-48), but in England it was widely regarded as a contest between Protestants and Catholics. In England, public opinion was in favor of war with Spain, not alliance with it. In 1624, the marriage negotiations collapsed and Charles and Buckingham called for war. This made them popular for a while. After the death of James I in 1625, England did declare war on Spain.

However, not only was the war executed incompetently, but also England started simultaneously war with France. The war was very expensive, and in 1626-27 Charles and Buckingham resorted to measures of very dubious legality to raise money. The most unpopular was the Forced Loan and the imprisonment of those who refused to pay it. The government also billeted troops in civilians' homes. Even with these methods, Charles still had insufficient money and had to call Parliament. It condemned Charles' illegal methods in the Petition of Right . William Laud The Commons also attacked Arminian doctrines and their most powerful exponent, William Laud. 23 August 1628, a disgruntled soldier, John Felton assassinated Buckingham. 1629, Charles I called another session of Parliament, but when it opposed him as vigorously as in 1628, he dissolved it and decided to try and rule without parliament. Thomas Wentworth The period from 1629 to 1640 is known as the Eleven Years Tyranny or the Personal Rule. Charles I pursued unpopular religious policies, that emphasized ceremonies and sacraments and were seen by many as a return to popery.

In Ireland, his trusted agent Thomas Wentworth adopted severe policies to suppress all Irish resistance to English rule. Charles revived long-defunct taxes to finance his regime, that many though simply illegal. He revived and extended Ship Money to finance the expansion of the English Navy. Charles I had as little taste for presbyterianism as his father, and in 1637 he tried to bring the Scottish Church more into line with the English by introducing bishops and a Scottish Prayer Book modeled on the English Book of Common Prayer. Tradition holds that the "Prayer Book riots" were started by a woman, Janet Geddes, who on Sunday, 23 July 1637 threw her stool at the Dean of Saint Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh in spontaneous outrage at him "saying Mass in her ear". In 1638, the Scottish rebelled. Charles finances were insufficient to put down the rebellion, and he was forced in Spring 1640 to call the Short Parliament (April 13th to May 5th). It was highly uncooperative and Charles dissolved it. The Scots invaded Northern England, taking Newcastle and Durham and defeating Charles army in August 1640.

Charles was forced to come to terms with the Scots and agree to pay the wages of the army that had just defeated him. Since he lacked the money to do this, the Long Parliament was summoned 3 November 1640. Over the next two years, England drifted into Civil War. Charles resented the Commons, and made promises with every intention of breaking them as soon as he could obtain military support from Ireland or the Continent. The leaders of the Parliamentary opposition knew that Charles was not to be trusted, and tried to neutralize him by attacking his trusted agents, Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford and William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury. An Act was passed by Parliament in 1641 declaring Strafford a traitor. Laud was imprisoned. The execution of Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford Parliament also forced through legislation to assure its own permanence, to declare illegal Charles I's new forms of taxation, and to reverse his changes in the Church. Almost everyone agreed that Charles had acted badly, but the king's moderate critics began to alienated by the actions of his more radical opponents.

In particular, the use of the London mob to stop the Bishops taking their seats in the House of Lords raised fears of social upheaval. Furthermore, many gentry had deep misgivings about the attempts to abolish Bishops altogether and reform the English church "root and branch". During 1641, the King gradually accumulated more support. The Irish revolt of October 1641 forced the question of who should control the army needed to suppress the uprising - King or Parliament. The issue could not be resolved peacefully; in Summer 1642, the English Civil War began. 1600–1699 (A.D.) World History 1600–1699 (A.D.) World History Pocahontas The Library of Congress Picture Collection Galileo The Library of Congress Picture Collection John Milton Giordano Bruno burned as a heretic. English East India Company established. 1603 Ieyasu rules Japan, moves capital to Edo (Tokyo). Shakespeare's Hamlet. 1605 Cervantes 's Don Quixote de la Mancha, the first modern novel.

1607 Jamestown, Virginia, established—first permanent English colony on American mainland. Pocahontas , daughter of Chief Powhatan, saves life of John Smith. 1609 Samuel de Champlain establishes French colony of Quebec. The Relation, the first newspaper, debuts in Germany. 1610 Galileo sees the moons of Jupiter through his telescope. 1611 Gustavus Adolphus elected King of Sweden. King James Version of the Bible published in England. Rubens paints his Descent from the Cross. 1614 John Napier discovers logarithms. 1618 Start of the Thirty Years' War > Protestants revolt against Catholic oppression; Denmark, Sweden, and France will invade Germany in later phases of war. Kepler proposes last of three laws of planetary motion. 1619 A Dutch ship brings the first African slaves to British North America. 1620 Pilgrims , after three-month voyage in Mayflower, land at Plymouth Rock. Francis Bacon's Novum Organum. 1623 New Netherland founded by Dutch West India Company. 1630 Maryland founded by Lord Baltimore.

1633 Inquisition forces Galileo (astronomer) to recant his belief in Copernican theory. 1642 English Civil War . Cavaliers, supporters of Charles I, against Roundheads, parliamentary forces. Oliver Cromwell defeats Royalists (1646). Parliament demands reforms. Charles I offers concessions, brought to trial (1648), beheaded (1649). Cromwell becomes Lord Protector (1653). Rembrandt paints his Night Watch. 1643 End of Ming Dynasty in China—Manchus come to power. Descartes 's Principles of Philosophy. 1648 End of the Thirty Years' War. German population about half of what it was in 1618 because of war and pestilence. 1658 Cromwell dies; son Richard resigns and Puritan government collapses. 1660 English Parliament calls for the restoration of the monarchy; invites Charles II to return from France. 1661 Charles II is crowned King of England. Louis XIV begins personal rule as absolute monarch; starts to build Versailles. 1664 British take New Amsterdam from the Dutch.

English limit “Nonconformity” with reestablished Anglican Church. Isaac Newton's experiments with gravity. 1665 Great Plague in London kills 75,000. 1666 Great Fire of London. Molière's Misanthrope. 1667 Milton 's Paradise Lost, widely considered the greatest epic poem in English. 1682 Pennsylvania founded by William Penn . 1683 War of European powers against the Turks (to 1699). Vienna withstands three-month Turkish siege; high point of Turkish advance in Europe. 1684 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz's calculus published. 1685 James II succeeds Charles II in England, calls for freedom of conscience (1687). Protestants fear restoration of Catholicism and demand “Glorious Revolution.” William of Orange invited to England and James II escapes to France (1688). William III and his wife, Mary, crowned. In France, Edict of Nantes of 1598, granting freedom of worship to Huguenots, is revoked by Louis XIV; thousands of Protestants flee.

1689 Peter the Great becomes Czar of Russia—attempts to westernize nation and build Russia as a military power. Defeats Charles XII of Sweden at Poltava (1709). Beginning of the French and Indian Wars (to 1763), campaigns in America linked to a series of wars between France and England for domination of Europe. 1690 William III of England defeats former king James II and Irish rebels at Battle of the Boyne in Ireland. John Locke 's Human Understanding. The Revolutionary War Conflicts increase between colonists and Britain on western frontier because of royal edict limiting western expansion (1763) and regulation of colonial trade and increased taxation of colonies (Writs of Assistance allow search for illegal shipments, 1761; Sugar Act, 1764; Currency Act, 1764; Stamp Act, 1765; Quartering Act, 1765; Duty Act, 1767). Boston Massacre (1770). Lord North attempts conciliation (1770).

Boston Tea Party (1773), followed by punitive measures passed by Parliament—the “Intolerable Acts.” First Continental Congress (1774) sends “Declaration of Rights and Grievances” to King George III, urges colonies to form Continental Association. Paul Revere's ride and Lexington and Concord battle between Massachusetts Minutemen and British (1775). Second Continental Congress (1775), while sending “olive branch” to the king, begins to raise army, appoints Washington commander-in-chief, and seeks alliance with France. Some colonial legislatures urge their delegates to vote for independence. Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776). Major Battles of the Revolutionary War: Long Island: Howe defeats Putnam's division of Washington's Army in Brooklyn Heights, but Americans escape across East River (1776). Trenton and Princeton: Washington defeats Hessians at Trenton, British at Princeton. Winters at Morristown (1776–1777). Howe winters in Philadelphia; Washington at Valley Forge (1777–1778). Burgoyne surrenders British army to General Gates at Saratoga (1777).

France recognizes American independence (1778). The War moves south: Savannah captured by British (1778); Charleston occupied (1780); Americans fight successful guerrilla actions under Marion, Pickens, and Sumter. In the West, George Rogers Clark attacks Forts Kaskaskia and Vincennes (1778–1779), defeating British in the region. Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown, Virginia (Oct. 19, 1781). By 1782, Britain is eager for peace because of conflicts with European nations. Peace of Paris (1783): Britain recognizes American independence. English Civil Wars | English history | Britannica.com English Civil Wars Alternative Titles: Great Rebellion, Wars of the Three Kingdoms Related Topics William Cavendish, 1st duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne English Civil Wars, also called Great Rebellion, (1642–51), fighting that took place in the British Isles between supporters of the monarchy of Charles I (and his son and successor, Charles II ) and opposing groups in each of Charles’s kingdoms, including Parliamentarians in England , Covenanters in Scotland , and Confederates in Ireland .

The civil wars are traditionally considered to have begun in England in August 1642, when Charles I raised an army against the wishes of Parliament , ostensibly to deal with a rebellion in Ireland. But the period of conflict actually began earlier in Scotland, with the Bishops’ Wars of 1639–40, and in Ireland, with the Ulster rebellion of 1641. Throughout the 1640s, war between king and Parliament ravaged England, but it also struck all of the kingdoms held by the house of Stuart —and, in addition to war between the various British and Irish dominions, there was civil war within each of the Stuart states. For this reason the English Civil Wars might more properly be called the British Civil Wars or the Wars of the Three Kingdoms . The wars finally ended in 1651 with the flight of Charles II to France and, with him, the hopes of the British monarchy. Battle of Naseby, by an unknown artist.

The victory of the … Photos.com/Jupiterimages United Kingdom: Civil war and revolution Compared with the chaos unleashed by the Thirty Years’ War (1618–48) on the European continent, the British Isles under Charles I enjoyed relative peace and economic prosperity during the 1630s. However, by the later 1630s, Charles’s regime had become unpopular across a broad front throughout his kingdoms. During the period of his so-called Personal Rule (1629–40), known by his enemies as the “Eleven Year Tyranny” because he had dissolved Parliament and ruled by decree, Charles had resorted to dubious fiscal expedients, most notably “ ship money ,” an annual levy for the reform of the navy that in 1635 was extended from English ports to inland towns. This inclusion of inland towns was construed as a new tax without parliamentary authorization. When combined with ecclesiastical reforms undertaken by Charles’s close adviser William Laud , the archbishop of Canterbury , and with the conspicuous role assumed in these reforms by Henrietta Maria , Charles’s Catholic queen, and her courtiers, many in England became alarmed.

Nevertheless, despite grumblings, there is little doubt that had Charles managed to rule his other dominions as he controlled England, his peaceful reign might have been extended indefinitely. Scotland and Ireland proved his undoing. Charles I, king of Great Britain and Ireland. Photos.com/Thinkstock Crimean War In 1633 Thomas Wentworth became lord deputy of Ireland and set out to govern that country without regard for any interest but that of the crown. His thorough policies aimed to make Ireland financially self-sufficient; to enforce religious conformity with the Church of England as defined by Laud, Wentworth’s close friend and ally; to “civilize” the Irish; and to extend royal control throughout Ireland by establishing British plantations and challenging Irish titles to land. Wentworth’s actions alienated both the Protestant and the Catholic ruling elites in Ireland. In much the same way, Charles’s willingness to tamper with Scottish land titles unnerved landowners there. However, it was Charles’s attempt in 1637 to introduce a modified version of the English Book of Common Prayer that provoked a wave of riots in Scotland, beginning at the Church of St. Giles in Edinburgh .

A National Covenant calling for immediate withdrawal of the prayer book was speedily drawn up on February 28, 1638. Despite its moderate tone and conservative format, the National Covenant was a radical manifesto against the Personal Rule of Charles I that justified a revolt against the interfering sovereign . The Bishops’ Wars and the return of Parliament (1640–42) History of Warfare The turn of events in Scotland horrified Charles, who determined to bring the rebellious Scots to heel. However, the Covenanters , as the Scottish rebels became known, quickly overwhelmed the poorly trained English army, forcing the king to sign a peace treaty at Berwick (June 18, 1639). Though the Covenanters had won the first Bishops’ War , Charles refused to concede victory and called an English parliament, seeing it as the only way to raise money quickly. Parliament assembled in April 1640, but it lasted only three weeks (and hence became known as the Short Parliament ). The House of Commons was willing to vote the huge sums that the king needed to finance his war against the Scots, but not until their grievances—some dating back more than a decade—had been redressed.

Furious, Charles precipitately dissolved the Short Parliament. As a result, it was an untrained, ill-armed, and poorly paid force that trailed north to fight the Scots in the second Bishops’ War. On August 20, 1640, the Covenanters invaded England for the second time, and in a spectacular military campaign they took Newcastle following the Battle of Newburn (August 28). Demoralized and humiliated, the king had no alternative but to negotiate and, at the insistence of the Scots, to recall parliament. Britannica Stories Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent A new parliament (the Long Parliament ), which no one dreamed would sit for the next 20 years, assembled at Westminster on November 3, 1640, and immediately called for the impeachment of Wentworth, who by now was the earl of Strafford.

The lengthy trial at Westminster, ending with Strafford’s execution on May 12, 1641, was orchestrated by Protestants and Catholics from Ireland, by Scottish Covenanters, and by the king’s English opponents, especially the leader of Commons, John Pym —effectively highlighting the importance of the connections between all the Stuart kingdoms at this critical junction. John Pym, detail of an engraving by G. Glover, 1644, after a portrait by Edward Bower. Courtesy of the trustees of the British Museum To some extent, the removal of Strafford’s draconian hand facilitated the outbreak in October 1641 of the Ulster uprising in Ireland. This rebellion derived, on the one hand, from long-term social, religious, and economic causes (namely tenurial insecurity, economic instability, indebtedness, and a desire to have the Roman Catholic Church restored to its pre- Reformation position) and, on the other hand, from short-term political factors that triggered the outbreak of violence. Inevitably, bloodshed and unnecessary cruelty accompanied the insurrection, which quickly engulfed the island and took the form of a popular rising, pitting Catholic natives against Protestant newcomers.

The extent of the “massacre” of Protestants was exaggerated, especially in England where the wildest rumours were readily believed. Perhaps 4,000 settlers lost their lives—a tragedy to be sure, but a far cry from the figure of 154,000 the Irish government suggested had been butchered. Much more common was the plundering and pillaging of Protestant property and the theft of livestock. These human and material losses were replicated on the Catholic side as the Protestants retaliated. Connect with Britannica Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest The Irish insurrection immediately precipitated a political crisis in England, as Charles and his Westminster Parliament argued over which of them should control the army to be raised to quell the Irish insurgents. Had Charles accepted the list of grievances presented to him by Parliament in the Grand Remonstrance of December 1641 and somehow reconciled their differences, the revolt in Ireland almost certainly would have been quashed with relative ease. Instead, Charles mobilized for war on his own, raising his standard at Nottingham in August 1642. The Wars of the Three Kingdoms had begun in earnest.

This also marked the onset of the first English Civil War fought between forces loyal to Charles I and those who served Parliament. After a period of phony war late in 1642, the basic shape of the English Civil War was of Royalist advance in 1643 and then steady Parliamentarian attrition and expansion. The first English Civil War (1642–46) The first major battle fought on English soil—the Battle of Edgehill (October 1642)—quickly demonstrated that a clear advantage was enjoyed by neither the Royalists (also known as the Cavaliers ) nor the Parliamentarians (also known as the Roundheads for their short-cropped hair, in contrast to the long hair and wigs associated with the Cavaliers). Although recruiting, equipping, and supplying their armies initially proved problematic for both sides, by the end of 1642 each had armies of between 60,000 and 70,000 men in the field.

However, sieges and skirmishes—rather than pitched battles—dominated the military landscape in England during the first Civil War, as local garrisons, determined to destroy the economic basis of their opponents while preserving their own resources, scrambled for territory. Charles, with his headquarters in Oxford , enjoyed support in the north and west of England, in Wales , and (after 1643) in Ireland. Parliament controlled the much wealthier areas in the south and east of England together with most of the key ports and, critically, London , the financial capital of the kingdom. In order to win the war, Charles needed to capture London, and this was something that he consistently failed to do. England during the Civil Wars. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies Yet Charles prevented the Parliamentarians from smashing his main field army. The result was an effective military stalemate until the triumph of the Roundheads at the Battle of Marston Moor (July 2, 1644).

This decisive victory deprived the king of two field armies and, equally important, paved the way for the reform of the parliamentary armies with the creation of the New Model Army , completed in April 1645. Thus, by 1645 Parliament had created a centralized standing army, with central funding and central direction. The New Model Army now moved against the Royalist forces. Their closely fought victory at the Battle of Naseby (June 14, 1645) proved the turning point in parliamentary fortunes and marked the beginning of a string of stunning successes—Langport (July 10), Rowton Heath (September 24), and Annan Moor (October 21)—that eventually forced the king to surrender to the Scots at Newark on May 5, 1646. Oliver Cromwell at the Battle of Marston Moor. Photos.com/Jupiterimages Strategic plan for the Battle of Naseby, June 14, 1645; from Anglia Rediviva (1647). © The British Library/Heritage-Images It is doubtful whether Parliament could have won the first English Civil War without Scottish intervention.

Royalist successes in England in the spring and early summer of 1643, combined with the prospect of aid from Ireland for the king, prompted the Scottish Covenanters to sign a political, military, and religious alliance—the Solemn League and Covenant (September 25, 1643)—with the English Parliamentarians. Desperate to protect their revolution at home, the Covenanters insisted upon the establishment of Presbyterianism in England and in return agreed to send an army of 21,000 men to serve there. These troops played a critical role at Marston Moor, with the covenanting general, David Leslie, briefly replacing a wounded Oliver Cromwell in the midst of the action. For his part, Charles looked to Ireland for support. However, the Irish troops that finally arrived in Wales after a cease-fire was concluded with the confederates in September 1643 never equaled the Scottish presence, while the king’s willingness to secure aid from Catholic Ireland sullied his reputation in England. Oliver Cromwell, portrait attributed to Anthony van Dyck.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images Conflicts in Scotland and Ireland Trending Topics Eyjafjallajökull volcano The presence of a large number of Scottish troops in England should not detract from the fact that Scots experienced their own domestic conflict after 1638. In Scotland loyalty to the Covenant, the king, and the house of Argyll resulted in a lengthy and, at times, bloody civil war that began in February 1639, when the Covenanters seized Inverness , and ended with the surrender of Dunnottar castle, near Aberdeen , in May 1652. Initially, the Scottish Royalists under the command of James Graham, earl of Montrose , won a string of victories at Tippermuir (September 1, 1644), Aberdeen (September 13), Inverlochy (February 2, 1645), Auldearn (May 9), Alford (July 2), and Kilsyth (August 15) before being decisively routed by the Covenanters at Philiphaugh (September 13). Marquess of Montrose, portrait miniature after a painting by W.

Dobson; in the Wallace Collection, … Courtesy of the trustees of the Wallace Collection, London Like Scotland, Ireland fought its own civil war (also called the Confederate Wars). Between 1642 and 1649, the Irish Confederates, with their capital at Kilkenny , directed the Catholic war effort, while James Butler, earl of Ormonde , commanded the king’s Protestant armies. In September 1643, the two sides concluded a cease-fire, but they failed to negotiate a lasting political and religious settlement acceptable to all parties. James Butler, 1st duke of Ormonde, detail of a painting after Sir Peter Lely, c. 1665; in the … Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, London Second and third English Civil Wars (1648–51) Although the Scottish Covenanters had made a significant contribution to Parliament’s victory in the first English Civil War, during the second (1648) and third English Civil Wars (1650–51) they supported the king. On December 26, 1647, Charles signed an agreement—known as the Engagement —with a number of leading Covenanters.

In return for the establishment of Presbyterianism in England for a period of three years, the Scots promised to join forces with the English Royalists and restore the king to his throne. Early in July 1648, a Scottish force invaded England, but the parliamentary army routed it at the Battle of Preston (August 17). The execution of Charles I in January 1649 merely served to galvanize Scottish (and Irish) support for the king’s son, Charles II , who was crowned king of the Scots at Scone , near Perth , on January 1, 1651. Ultimately, the defeat of a combined force of Irish Royalists and Confederates at the hands of English Parliamentarians after August 1649 prevented the Irishmen from serving alongside their Scottish and English allies in the third English Civil War. As it was, this war was largely fought on Scottish soil, Oliver Cromwell and his New Model Army having invaded Scotland in July 1650.

Despite being routed at the Battle of Dunbar (September 3, 1650), which Cromwell regarded as “one of the most signal mercies God hath done for England and His people,” the Scots managed to raise another army that made a spectacular dash into England. This wild attempt to capture London came to nothing. Cromwell’s resounding victory at Worcester (September 3, 1651) and Charles II’s subsequent flight to France not only gave Cromwell control over England but also effectively ended the wars of—and the wars in—the three kingdoms. Charles II, 19th-century engraving by William Finden. © iStockphoto/Thinkstock Cost and legacy While it is notoriously difficult to determine the number of casualties in any war, it has been estimated that the conflict in England and Wales claimed about 85,000 lives in combat, with a further 127,000 noncombat deaths (including some 40,000 civilians). The fighting in Scotland and Ireland, where the populations were roughly a fifth of that of England, was more brutal still.

As many as 15,000 civilians perished in Scotland, and a further 137,000 Irish civilians may well have died as a result of the wars there. In all nearly 200,000 people, or roughly 2.5 percent of the civilian population, lost their lives directly or indirectly as a result of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms during this decade, making the Civil Wars arguably the bloodiest conflict in the history of the British Isles. These were the last civil wars ever fought on English—but not Scottish or Irish—soil, and they have bequeathed a lasting legacy . Ever since this period, the peoples of the three kingdoms have had a profound distrust of standing armies, while ideas first mooted during the 1640s, particularly about religious toleration and limitations on power, have survived to this day. More about English Civil Wars 30 References found in Britannica Articles Assorted References English Civil Wars - British History - HISTORY.com English Civil Wars A+E Networks Introduction The English Civil Wars (1642-1651) stemmed from conflict between Charles I and Parliament over an Irish insurrection.

The first war was settled with Oliver Cromwell’s victory for Parliamentary forces at the 1645 Battle of Naseby. The second phase ended with Charles’ defeat at the Battle of Preston and his subsequent execution in 1649. Charles’ son, Charles, then formed an army of English and Scottish Royalists, which prompted Cromwell to invade Scotland in 1650. The following year, Cromwell shattered the remaining Royalist forces and ended the “wars of the three kingdoms,” though Charles II eventually ascended to the throne in 1660. Google The civil wars of seventeenth-century England also involved the two other kingdoms ruled by the Stuart dynasty, Scotland and Ireland. The invasion of England by a Scottish army seeking religious concessions in 1639 and again in 1640 precipitated political deadlock in London, which paved the way for a rebellion by Catholic Ireland (October 1641). The struggle between King Charles I and his Westminster Parliament over who should control the army needed to crush the Irish insurrection in turn provoked the outbreak of civil war in England (August 1642).

Initially northern and western England, together with much of Ireland, stood for the king, while the southeast (including London), the Royal Navy, and Scotland fought for Parliament. However, at Marston Moor (July 2, 1644) Charles lost control of the north; and the following year, at Naseby (June 14, 1645) the Parliamentary forces led by Oliver Cromwell routed his main field army. Did You Know? In May 1660, nearly 20 years after the start of the English Civil Wars, Charles II finally returned to England as king, ushering in a period known as the Restoration. Having pacified all England, Parliament turned to the conquest of Ireland and Scotland. Since 1642 the Catholic Confederation of Kilkenny had controlled Irish affairs and periodically aided Charles. However, any chance of rekindling the Royalist cause in Ireland ended in September 1649, when Oliver Cromwell massacred the combined force of Irish Confederates and Royalists at Drogheda and, the following month, captured the Confederate fleet in Wexford.

The Cromwellian reconquest of Ireland dragged on until the fall of Galway in April 1652 because of the outbreak of the third English Civil War. Early in 1650, Charles II, son and heir of the executed Charles I, cobbled together an army of English and Scottish Royalists, which prompted Cromwell to invade Scotland; at the Battle of Dunbar (September 3, 1650) he won control of most of Scotland. The following year at Worcester (September 3, 1651) Cromwell shattered the remaining Royalist forces and ended the “wars of the three kingdoms.” The English conflict left some 34,000 Parliamentarians and 50,000 Royalists dead, while at least 100,000 men and women died from war-related diseases, bringing the total death toll caused by the three civil wars in England to almost 200,000. More died in Scotland, and far more in Ireland.

Moreover, the trial and execution of an anointed sovereign and the presence of a standing army throughout the 1650s, combined with the proliferation of radical religious sects, shook the very foundations of British society and ultimately facilitated the restoration of Charles II in 1660. This was the last civil war fought on English—though not Irish and Scottish—soil. The Reader’s Companion to American History. Eric Foner and John A. Garraty, Editors. Copyright © 1991 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Tags The English Civil War: Taking Sides - 1641 - 1644 - Introduction - OpenLearn - Open University Copyright The Open University Text Throughout the 1640s, the wars received momentum from the complex relationship between the three kingdoms of England, Ireland and Scotland. And while Charles's arrogance towards Scotland began the troubles, it was Ireland which really set it alight. From the early 1600s both Elizabeth I and then James I (Charles's father) had introduced Protestant farmers into Catholic, Gaelic Ireland.

This was a means of governing Ireland without the cost of a standing army, as well as a way to generate more tax revenue. With the backing of the Crown, the settlers drove the Gaelic clans from the fertile land - a policy of forced migration. By the late 1630s, relations between the two communities were at breaking point. Following the example set by the Scottish Covenanters, the Gaelic chieftains rose up in 1641 and attacked the Protestant settlers in an attempt to force a change of policy from the Crown. The vital importance of the Irish rebellion to the English civil war was that it led to a constitutional struggle between King and Parliament over the control of the army needed to crush the Gaelic rebels. It led to the Parliamentary leader John Pym issuing a Grand Remonstrance, the King fleeing London and the emergence of Cavaliers and Roundheads - a division which not only caused damaging splits between old friends but also painful fissures between members of the same family. The Roundheads feared Charles in control over an army given his history of authoritarianism and dangerous reforms to the Church of England.

The Cavaliers, on the other hand, were opposed to the religious radicals, or Puritans, in Parliament taking control of the Church of England. They also believed rebelling against a King was unlawful, even sinful. In England, the sides were set and Charles raised his standard in August 1642. The battle which was meant to solve the crisis one way or another took place at Edgehill in October 1642. But despite the flamboyant bravery of Charles's finest soldier, Prince Rupert, and the dogged persistence of the Parliamentary commander, the Earl of Essex, neither side achieved the crushing victory required, and both sides instead prepared for a long, bloody war. In spring 1644, a Scottish Covenanter Army poured into northern England to offer assistance to their Parliamentary allies to help break the stalemate. They headed for York where a Royalist garrison was under siege. At the same time, Prince Rupert marched north, determined to lift the siege and teach the Parliamentary rebels a bloody lesson. In July 1644, the two sides came into collision just outside York on the fields of Marston Moor. The Irish Dimension is extremely important in understanding the origins of the English Civil War.

By mid-1641, Charles had settled his differences with the English Parliament and was on his way north to make peace with the Scots. When Ireland exploded in rebellion in November, it drew the sovereign into conflict with his subjects and set the three kingdoms on the path to prolonged and bloody conflict. Relations between Parliament and King were especially tense during 1641-2. In time of war, Charles expected Parliament to provide him with soldiers and funds, but what he received was the Grand Remonstrance , a document outlining eleven years of alleged religious and political abuse. When Charles tried and failed to arrest his Parliamentary opponents in January 1642, conflict between Crown and Parliament became inevitable. Charles' departure from London and the growing rift with Parliament forced people to start taking sides during 1642. Family ties and long-standing friendships were placed under intolerable pressure as the country started to polarise. When Charles raised his standard at Nottingham in August 1642, the scene was set for war. The opening twelve months of the war were inconclusive. Edgehill was a draw and the two sides drew back from major conflict at Turnham Green.

A truce in Ireland released troops to join the Royalist cause, while Parliament entered into a Solemn League and Covenant with the Scots Presbyterians in September 1643. Following Royalist advances in the north-west during 1644, Charles ordered his nephew to relieve the siege of York, a decision which was to have fateful consequences. Taking Sides English Civil War Timeline | HistoryOnTheNet English Civil War Timeline 13th June 1625 King Charles Marries King Charles I married Henrietta Maria, daughter of Henry IV of France at St Augustine's Church, Canterbury, Kent. The marriage was not popular because she was a Catholic . May 1626 Parliament Dismissed Parliament were unhappy with the activities of Charles' chief minister, George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham. Buckingham had led a failed mission to Cadiz and it appeared that he was planning to help the French to put down the Protestant Huguenot uprising. Parliament moved to have Buckingham dismissed from office. Charles retaliated by dismissing parliament. 13th March Charles needed money to finance the war with France and Spain and reluctantly recalled Parliament.

1628 Thirty-Nine Articles Charles re-issued the Thirty Nine Articles into the Church of England. This was seen as a move towards Rome and evidence of the King's Catholic leanings. 7th June 1628 Petition of Right Parliament formed a committee of grievances and prepared a Petition of Right which was presented to the King. The Petition was designed to protect subjects from any further taxation unauthorised by Parliament. Charles signed the document reluctantly. 22nd August 1628 George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, was stabbed to death by naval lieutenant John Felton. March 1629 The Three Resolutions There were outbursts in Parliament when the Petition of Right was debated and the doors were locked to keep royal guards out. The Speaker, who wanted to adjourn the proceedings, was held in his chair. Parliament passed three resolutions: 1.That they would condemn any move to change religion. 2. That they would condemn any taxation levied without Parliament's authority. 3. That any merchant who paid 'illegal' taxes betrayed the liberty of England. Charles dismissed Parliament. March 1629 MPs Arrested Charles arrested nine members of the Commons for offences against the state .

Three were imprisoned. This action by the King made him more unpopular. The King, defended his action by stating his belief in his own divine right saying that 'Princes are not bound to give account of their actions, but to God alone.' 1632 Thomas Wentworth Known as 'Black Tom Tyrant' by the Irish, Thomas Wentworth, Lord Deputy of Ireland, ruled Ireland with a firm hand. However, his rule alienated the planters of Ulster and antagonised the landowners of Connaught. August 1633 Archbishop Laud Charles appointed William Laud as Archbishop of Canterbury. Laud was known to have Catholic leanings and Charles hoped that his appointment would help to stop the rise of the Puritans. 18 June 1633 Charles was crowned King of Scotland at Holyrood Abbey , Edinburgh. 1634 - 1636 Ship Money This tax was paid by coastal towns to pay for the upkeep of the Royal Navy. In a bid to raise more money, Charles now imposed the tax on inland towns as well.

June 1638 Ship Money John Hampden, challenged the King's right to impose such a tax but he lost the case and the court ruled that the King was the only authority that could impose such a tax. February 1638 National Covenant and Book of Common Prayer Charles demanded that the Book of Common Prayer be used in the Scottish Kirk. The Calvinist-dominated Scottish church resisted the move. There were riots and a National Covenant was formed which protested against any religious interference in Scotland by England. The Scottish Kirk was so incensed that it expelled the Bishops installed in Scotland by James I. 1639 Pacification of Berwick Thomas Wentworth's had led a scratch army against the Scots but had been defeated on the border and had been forced to sign a temporary truce at Berwick. Wentworth told the King that in order to raise an efficient army he must recall Parliament. Charles, who had enjoyed his eleven years tyranny, was forced to recall Parliament. 13th April 1640 Short Parliament The new Parliament refused to authorise any new taxes until the King agreed to abandon 'ship money'. The King said that he would only abandon ship money if Parliament would grant him enough money to re-open the war with Scotland.

Parliament refused and was dismissed after three weeks. 1640 Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell was elected to Parliament for the second time. He openly criticised Charles taxes and the level of corruption in the Church of England. Oct 1640 Scotland Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, set out for the Scottish border with a makeshift army. However, the army mutinied and the Scots seized English land. The Scots demanded a daily rate be paid until a satisfactory treaty was put in place. 21 Oct 1640 Treaty of Ripon This treaty between Scotland and England allowed the Scots to stay in Durham and Northumberland until a final settlement was concluded. Nov 1640 Long Parliament Charles had to have money to pay for an efficient army with which to defeat the Scots. However, he couldn't have the money until he agreed to Parliament's demands which included an Act which stated that parliament should meet once every five years and the arrest for treason of Strafford. Charles had no choice but to comply. 20 May 1641 Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, was executed on Tower Hill.

Summer 1641 Triennial Act This act allowed Parliament to be summoned without royal command and declared 'ship money' to be illegal. Late Summer 1641 Revolt in Ireland A revolt broke out in Ireland. Parliament critical of the King's handling of matters in both Ireland and Scotland, passed propositions that the Parliament and not the King should be responsible for the country's defence. 22 Oct 1641 Catholic Rebellion in Ireland A Catholic rebellion broke out in Ulster and quickly spread across the country. Many Protestant settlers were driven from their homes and the rebellion became war. November 1641 This document, put together by Pym, listed parliament's grievances against the King since his reign began. 4 Jan 1642 Charles Arrests five MPs Charles instructed his attorney-general to issue a charge of treason against one peer and five members of the Commons including Pym and Hampden. When Parliament refused to recognise the charge, Charles sent a troop of horsemen to make the arrests. However, Parliament had been warned and the five men had fled. this move by Charles was extremely unpopular and across the country people declared themselves for Parliament and against Popery. Charles removed himself and his family from Whitehall to Hampton Court.

Jan 1642 Preparations for War Charles sent his wife Henrietta Maria to the Continent to enlist Catholic support for his cause against Parliament. She was also to pawn the crown jewels to buy arms. Although both sides were now preparing for war, negotiations continued. March 1642 Militia Ordinance This allowed Parliament to take control of the Militia, virtually the only armed body in the country. April 1642 Charles - Hull Charles tried to secure an arsenal of equipment left in Hull from his Scottish campaign. He was blocked by Sir John Hotham, with parliamentary and naval support and was forced to retire to York. Charles made his headquarters in York. June 1642 Nineteen Propositions The Nineteen Propositions were issued by Parliament in the hopes of reaching a settlement with the King. They called for a new constitution recognising their own supremacy; demanded that ministers and judges should be appointed by parliament not by the King and also that all Church and military matters should come under the control of Parliament. 22 Aug 1642 Civil War - Standard raised Charles raised his standard at Nottingham formally declaring war.

However, both sides hoped that either war could be averted or that one decisive battle would put an end to the matter. 7 Sept 1642 The vital port and fortress of Portsmouth surrendered to Parliament. 23 Oct 1642 Battle of Edgehill In the early afternoon, Charles sent his army down the hill to meet the Parliamentary army commanded by Essex. On the royalist right was Prince Rupert who broke Essex's left flank. In the centre, reinforcements arrived and they managed to push forward putting the lives of the King's sons, Charles and James, in danger. The battle was a stalemate with neither side able to advance. 12, 13 Nov 1642 Small Battles The Royalists led by Prince Rupert managed to surprise and capture Brentford. However, the following day Rupert was surprised to find his route to the city of London barred at Turnham Green by Essex and an army of some 24,000. The Royalist commander decided to retire rather than fight.

Jan 1643 The Royalists had victories over Parliament at Braddock Down and Nantwich 1643 Skirmishes and Battles Parliament took Lichfield, Reading, Wakefield, Gainsborough, Royalists took Ripple Field, Tewkesbury, Chewton Mendip, Chalgrove Field, Landsdowne Hill, Bristol and Yorkshire. Re-took Lichfield and Gainsborough, and held Cornwall, Newark and Devises 30 June 1643 Battle of Adwalton Moor the Royalist commander, William Cavendish decided to try and enclose the Parliamentarian army in Bradford. However, Fairfax, the Parliamentary commander decided that his army had a better chance of survival if they fought the Royalists in a battle rather than being surrounded and forced to surrender. The Royalists won the battle. 13 July 1643 Battle of Roundaway Down The Royalists were the first to charge but there was no counter-charge. After two more charges the Parliamentary cavalry had fled. Waller then turned his attention to the Parliamentary infantry who stood firm until a force led by Hopton attacked them from behind.

Caught between two Royalist armies the majority of Parliamentarian soldiers simply fled from the battlefield giving the Royalists victory. Aug 1643 Solemn League and Covenant This document swore to preserve the Church of Scotland and reform the religion of England and Ireland 'according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed churches' and to protect 'the rights and liberties of parliaments'. It was accepted by the English Parliament in September. 20 Sept 1643 First Battle of Newbury Essex's force of tired wet and hungry Parliamentarians intended to rest at Newbury, a town sympathetic to the Parliamentarians. However, Rupert had arrived there first and Essex had no choice but to fight. Essex moved the Parliamentarians before daybreak and secured the 'Round Hill', just south of Newbury. The surrounding countryside was criss-crossed with lanes and hedgerows which offered excellent cover for the foot soldiers but was quite unsuitable for horse. Parliament won the battle June 1644 Battle of Marston Moor This was the largest single battle of the Civil War involving 45,000 men. Although the Royalists were outnumbered, they decided to fight. They were defeated by Parliament.

For the first time since the Civil War had began Rupert's cavalry were beaten by a Parliamentarian cavalry charge. 27 October 1644 Second Battle of Newbury The Royalists were sandwiched between two Parliamentary forces. Each time Parliament made some gain they were beaten back by the Royalists. The battle, which lasted all day, ended in a draw. 14th June 1645 Battle of Naseby The Parliamentarians broke their siege on Oxford and forced the Royalists into battle. Initially the Royalists took up a defensive stance but later the order to attack was given. The battle lasted just three hours and saw the death of most of the Royalist foot soldiers. It was a decisive victory for Parliament. Charles fled the battlefield as soon as it was apparent that he had lost both the battle and the war. 6th May 1646 Charles I surrendered to the Scots 24th June 1646 Oxford, Charles I's capital surrendered to Parliament 30th January 1647 The Scots handed Charles over to parliament.

He was imprisoned in Holdenby House, Northamptonshire November 1647 Putney Debates This was a series of debates held by different Parliamentarian forces to try to decide on a new constitution. November 1647 Charles I escaped imprisonment and fled to Carisbrooke Castle, Isle of Wight December 1648

Question: What nation-wide event took place in England, starting in 1642?
Answer: The Civil War