How the Parliamentarians Won the First Civil War: Difference between revisions
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The kernel of the arguments against abolishing episcopacy was the ''rubbish of chaos'' that could replace it, at least in the short run. This conjunction of traditional legal and maintenance of social order dominated the spring and summer of 1642. Pym's continued encouragement of popular participation filled many with trepidation especially given the evidence that popular uprisings could get out of hand. The Irish Rebellion had led to atrocities committed against protestants and riots in England were not unknown. Many raised the spectre of Wat Tyler or Jack Cade. Parliamentarians took a relaxed view of the riots. They were "'honest inhabitants'' who were providing ''very acceptable services to the commonwealth'' | The kernel of the arguments against abolishing episcopacy was the ''rubbish of chaos'' that could replace it, at least in the short run. This conjunction of traditional legal and maintenance of social order dominated the spring and summer of 1642. Pym's continued encouragement of popular participation filled many with trepidation especially given the evidence that popular uprisings could get out of hand. The Irish Rebellion had led to atrocities committed against protestants and riots in England were not unknown. Many raised the spectre of Wat Tyler or Jack Cade. Parliamentarians took a relaxed view of the riots. They were "'honest inhabitants'' who were providing ''very acceptable services to the commonwealth'' | ||
MP's were often caught between a rock and a hard place. Thomas Knyvett was on one day given a parliamentary commission to take command of an infantry and later read a royal proclamation denouncing the Militia Ordinance. The king followed up with his own army raising decree called the [[ | MP's were often caught between a rock and a hard place. Thomas Knyvett was on one day given a parliamentary commission to take command of an infantry and later read a royal proclamation denouncing the Militia Ordinance. The king followed up with his own army raising decree called the [[Commissions of Array]]. This was carefully worded as not a call to arms to defend an (unpopular) king but to secure peace in the country, deter foreign invasion and quell insurrection in the country. | ||
MP's took up that theme, professing that they wanted to preserve peace. It was a difficult concept to sell. Trying to raise an army, not to fight a war and not to change the status quo is a difficult rallying call to arms. On the other hand, the Parliamentarians could appeal to peoples '''religious convictions'''; that the king was being duped by ''papists'' and that the [[Irish Rebellion]] could spread to England. The atrocities as bad as they were, were played up to the press and hardened peoples' attitudes. There were '''charismatic leaders''' supporting the Parliamentarian cause, such as the Earl of Warwick. '''Location''' played a significant role also. London and the South East were hard-line parliamentarian supporters and allowed to dissent amongst its population. | MP's took up that theme, professing that they wanted to preserve peace. It was a difficult concept to sell. Trying to raise an army, not to fight a war and not to change the status quo is a difficult rallying call to arms. On the other hand, the Parliamentarians could appeal to peoples '''religious convictions'''; that the king was being duped by ''papists'' and that the [[Irish Rebellion]] could spread to England. The atrocities as bad as they were, were played up to the press and hardened peoples' attitudes. There were '''charismatic leaders''' supporting the Parliamentarian cause, such as the Earl of Warwick. '''Location''' played a significant role also. London and the South East were hard-line parliamentarian supporters and allowed to dissent amongst its population. | ||
Committed Royalists were two distinctive group of people. Firstly, there were the Royalists that funded the the king's army. These were people committed to duty, preservation of existing and tradition forms of government that preserved a balance (unequal in many ways) between parliament and monarch. They were troubled by the religious schisms, factionalism and iconoclasm. Above all they wanted to preserve the traditional social order. as much as they might disagree with the king, the alternative was worse. Those who fought for the royalist cause, shared many of the same motivations. They had been brought up to take up arms for their landowners, squires and Earls. These groups needed each other. The landowners needed tenants to work their farms. The tenants needed food and shelter. Of course, this master / servant relationship was not always deterministic. Some tenants failed to support the summons from the landowner. Maybe they were anti-episcopal, some felt it wrong to disobey Parliament. Consequently,recruiting for the king's army got off to a slow start and had to rely on volunteers. This could lead to a disparate group of soldiers who had different reasons for joining up - comradeship, money, drink. A fact not lost on the Parliamentarians who could describe Royalists as ruffians, the feckless and the irreligious. | |||
Most of all the typical royalist was someone who feared social upheaval and militant puritanism and therefore many only took to the king's cause once the parliamentarian forces were mobilized. After that began to happen then many tended to fall behind the king's banner once it looked inevitable that war was going to happen and they needed to pick a side. | |||
==The Battles of the Civil War== | |||
[[Edgehill]] kicked off the first major battle of the war, <ref>http://bcw-project.org/military/english-civil-war/edgehill-campaign/battle-of-edgehill</ref>, although that had been a skirmish at Powick Bridge where [[person::Prince Rupert]] easily routed the Parliamentarians. At Edgehill, neither side gained an advantage but the [[person::Earl of Essex]] failed to stop the advance of the Royalist army towards London. By November 1642, it seemed against all odds that the Royalists were on course for a quick victory. At [[Turnham Green]] on the outskirts of London, the Royalist advance was checked, not by Essex's army so much, but the apprentices and others recruited by the [[Person::Earl of Warwick]]. The king's cautious approach | |||
not only allowed Essex's men to regroup, but enabled a force of 24,000 face off the Royalist army of 12,000. The King pulled back and in essence this was the end of the fighting season until the following spring during which time the Civil War became more of political maneouvering and negotiation. | |||
Early in the summer of 1643, the Royalists won battles at [[Bristol]], Gloucester, [[Adwalton Moor]], Gainsborough and Lincoln. This was the high water mark for the Royalists and once again they were approaching London, this time via [[Newbury]] | |||
<references/> | |||
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Revision as of 12:55, 15 February 2014
Precursor to War
The king's aborted attempt to arrest five MP's set off a chain of events that led to the first civil war. The King left London and finally settled in Oxford. Queen Henrietta fled back to France. Almost immediately petitions were being raised in the shires pledging support to Parliament. Parliament capitalized on their popularity by executing the Militia Ordinance organizing a militia and putting it under Parliament's control. Parliament went further with the Nineteen Propositions. These were framed as being a moderate set of proposals but reduced the role of the king to mere ceremony. Not only that Charles 1 noted that it did not just apply to him but to his successors.
Parliament was no longer tolerating dissent. Edward Dering was expelled from the commons for supporting episcopacy. Kentish gentlemen who expressed moderate opposition to the Militia Ordinance were impeached.
The king had little military support at this time. Maybe as little as 800 cavalry but there was still considerable support for the monarchy even if it was lukewarm for Charles himself. John Pym was starting to lose popularity. The Root and Branch petition evoked opposition. Sir Thomas Ashton organized two pro-episcopacy petitions and published the Remonstrance against Presbytery
The kernel of the arguments against abolishing episcopacy was the rubbish of chaos that could replace it, at least in the short run. This conjunction of traditional legal and maintenance of social order dominated the spring and summer of 1642. Pym's continued encouragement of popular participation filled many with trepidation especially given the evidence that popular uprisings could get out of hand. The Irish Rebellion had led to atrocities committed against protestants and riots in England were not unknown. Many raised the spectre of Wat Tyler or Jack Cade. Parliamentarians took a relaxed view of the riots. They were "'honest inhabitants who were providing very acceptable services to the commonwealth
MP's were often caught between a rock and a hard place. Thomas Knyvett was on one day given a parliamentary commission to take command of an infantry and later read a royal proclamation denouncing the Militia Ordinance. The king followed up with his own army raising decree called the Commissions of Array. This was carefully worded as not a call to arms to defend an (unpopular) king but to secure peace in the country, deter foreign invasion and quell insurrection in the country.
MP's took up that theme, professing that they wanted to preserve peace. It was a difficult concept to sell. Trying to raise an army, not to fight a war and not to change the status quo is a difficult rallying call to arms. On the other hand, the Parliamentarians could appeal to peoples religious convictions; that the king was being duped by papists and that the Irish Rebellion could spread to England. The atrocities as bad as they were, were played up to the press and hardened peoples' attitudes. There were charismatic leaders supporting the Parliamentarian cause, such as the Earl of Warwick. Location played a significant role also. London and the South East were hard-line parliamentarian supporters and allowed to dissent amongst its population.
Committed Royalists were two distinctive group of people. Firstly, there were the Royalists that funded the the king's army. These were people committed to duty, preservation of existing and tradition forms of government that preserved a balance (unequal in many ways) between parliament and monarch. They were troubled by the religious schisms, factionalism and iconoclasm. Above all they wanted to preserve the traditional social order. as much as they might disagree with the king, the alternative was worse. Those who fought for the royalist cause, shared many of the same motivations. They had been brought up to take up arms for their landowners, squires and Earls. These groups needed each other. The landowners needed tenants to work their farms. The tenants needed food and shelter. Of course, this master / servant relationship was not always deterministic. Some tenants failed to support the summons from the landowner. Maybe they were anti-episcopal, some felt it wrong to disobey Parliament. Consequently,recruiting for the king's army got off to a slow start and had to rely on volunteers. This could lead to a disparate group of soldiers who had different reasons for joining up - comradeship, money, drink. A fact not lost on the Parliamentarians who could describe Royalists as ruffians, the feckless and the irreligious.
Most of all the typical royalist was someone who feared social upheaval and militant puritanism and therefore many only took to the king's cause once the parliamentarian forces were mobilized. After that began to happen then many tended to fall behind the king's banner once it looked inevitable that war was going to happen and they needed to pick a side.
The Battles of the Civil War
Edgehill kicked off the first major battle of the war, [1], although that had been a skirmish at Powick Bridge where Prince Rupert easily routed the Parliamentarians. At Edgehill, neither side gained an advantage but the Earl of Essex failed to stop the advance of the Royalist army towards London. By November 1642, it seemed against all odds that the Royalists were on course for a quick victory. At Turnham Green on the outskirts of London, the Royalist advance was checked, not by Essex's army so much, but the apprentices and others recruited by the Earl of Warwick. The king's cautious approach not only allowed Essex's men to regroup, but enabled a force of 24,000 face off the Royalist army of 12,000. The King pulled back and in essence this was the end of the fighting season until the following spring during which time the Civil War became more of political maneouvering and negotiation.
Early in the summer of 1643, the Royalists won battles at Bristol, Gloucester, Adwalton Moor, Gainsborough and Lincoln. This was the high water mark for the Royalists and once again they were approaching London, this time via Newbury
| Date"Date" is a type and predefined property provided by Semantic MediaWiki to represent date values. | |
|---|---|
| Act Abolishing the Office of King | 17 March 1649 |
| Army Remonstrance | 18 November 1648 |
| Civil War - Regicide | 6 December 1648 30 January 1649 |
| Civil War - Restoration | 4 April 1660 |
| Commissions of Array | 1 June 1642 |
| Execution of Archbishop William Laud | 10 January 1645 |
| Execution of Charles I | 30 January 1649 |
| Execution of Thomas Wentworth | 12 May 1641 |
| Four Bills | 24 December 1647 |
| Grand Remonstrance | 22 November 1641 |
| Heads of Proposals | 22 September 1647 |
| Instrument of Government | 16 December 1653 |
| Militia Ordinance | 7 December 1641 |
| Naseby | 14 June 1645 |
| National Covenant | 27 February 1638 |
| Newcastle Proposals | 1 July 1646 |
| Nineteen Propositions | 1 June 1642 |
| Petition of Right | 7 June 1628 |
| Petition of the Leveller Women | 11 September 1649 |
| Putney Debates | 1 October 1647 |
| Representation of the Army | 5 June 1647 |
| Root and Branch Petition | 11 December 1640 |
| Saffron Walden | 1 May 1647 |
| Scottish Prayer Book | 23 July 1637 |
| Short Parliament | 13 April 1640 |
| The Bishop's War | 1 January 1639 |
| The Five Members | 4 January 1642 |
| The Second Civil War | 22 February 1648 |
| The Self Denying Ordinance | 19 December 1644 |
| Treaty of Uxbridge | 29 January 1645 |
