strengths and weaknesses of royalists

political strengths

• conservative culture of Stuart England, natural allegiance fell to the King

• promoted people based on their social and political rank, so chose those with a strong track record in positions of authority

• i.e., brought them into a Council of War based in Oxford

stragetic strengths

• reply to the 19 propositions gained support of moderates

• raising his standard in Nottingham

• clear goal: return to power, restore monarchical authority by taking back London unlike parliament

• if charles gains early advantage he could push home his advantage + take London quickly with plenty of momentum behind him

financial strengths

• some royalists directly involved in industries that contributed to the war (i.e., evelyn family surrey owns gunpowder business)

• majority of wealthier nobles deployed for the King

• earl of worcester donated over £300,000 to the war effort in favour of the king

• access to many raw materials (e.g., leather and iron) in Wales + coal in the North

military strengths

• top of the traditional military command structure (easy to be commander-in-chief)

• no one challenged his command

• recalled his nephews, Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice = have experience fighting on behalf of the Dutch Republic

financial weaknesses

• relies on traditional tax revenues collected by the nobility

• Gifts and loans of local nobility

• Same financial problems from earlier in his reign (funnelling money from the localities to the centre)

• but inefficient as those who stayed neutral did not contribute

19 propositions advantages

• Reached out to natural supporters

• Emphasised Parliament’s radical actions

• Showed steady traditionalism of king’s

Tax strengths

• Used same constitutional pathways

• Reliant on the commitment of local JPs and collectors

• Informal nature of county committees = militaristic structure + 6 military districts + overseen by lord lieutenants

Tax disadvantages

• Neutralism and local anxieties put pressure on local officials to keep the money for use within the county itself

• County Committees is still difficult to mobilise men and money from localities

command royalist strengths

• traditional role as monarch commander in chief

• No one challenged right/capacity to command

• All tools of a functional military to deploy immediately

• Council of war based in oxford to coordinate efforts

• Appointments of the earl of Newcastle

Parliament command contrast

• embryonic constitutional command structure

• Old-style noble leader (Earl of Essex) to a new form of democracy

• Organise itself from a standing start

Royalist command weaknesses

• Charles began by making appointments through social and political status rather than competence

• Failed to capitalise on opportunity of unity of command

  • War of council Bristol under son + some best advisors (earl of Clarendon)

  • Intention to ensure king + heir not captured at the same time BUT strategic unity = lost

Prince Rupert

• both a liability and asset to Charles

• Charles sides with 23 year old Rupert and not 60r old war veteran

• Provoked resignation of the general-in-chief

• Rupert’s horsemen ran ahead too far, lost discipline + left royalist infantry undefended at a crucial point in fighting

• BUT secured the desertion of a troop of Parliament’s cavalry under the leadership of Sir Faithful Fortescue

Battle of edge hill

• delayed action to consider peace negotiations

• Persuaded by prince Rupert to continue with military action

• Allowed time for earl of Essex to collect troops from edge hill +reach Rupert’s advancing force at Turnham Green

Failure at Turnham Green

• miscalculation to turn back after the stand off at Turnham Green

• Still had advantage of size, equipment and support from regions