First Civil war

What are the statistics of the First Civil War?

• 10-20% of men in England fought in the war.

• 62,000 deaths between 1642-6.

• 100,000 additional deaths due to dysentery, the plague and war typhus.

• 85,000 people became homeless during the civil war.

When was the First Civil war?

1642-46.

What were the two groups that fought in the Civil war?

The Parliamentarians and the Royalists.

Who won the First Civil War?

Parliamentarians.

What were the reasons for the Parliament’s victory?

• The re-organisation of their armies with creation of the New Model army in February 1645. 

• They had access to greater financial reasons than the king and used theirs more effectively.

• They had a deal with the Scottish Covenantors through the Solemn League and Covenantor of August 1643 which brought a Scots army of 22,000 men into the war.

Who was in charge of the Royalists (Cavalries)

• Prince Rupert (Charles I’s nephew) who was an experienced and an effective leader. 

• Lord George Goring who was the Royalist commander. He combined his ineffectiveness leadership with brutal and dispute behaviour. Was later exiled in 1645.

Who was in charge of the Parliamentarians?

• Robert Devereux (3rd Earl of Essex) 

• Edward Montagu (2nd Earl of Manchester)

• Oliver Cromwell (Puritan MP)

Why were pre-modern armies proved to be ineffective?

• The aristocracy provided the generals because of their position in society, their high social rank which gave them the right to lead armies.

• Their military knowledge came not from study or experience but was passed down to them by previous aristocratic military commanders by virtue.This resulted in inexperienced leadership.

• They both adopted the hierarchical structure where regular soldiers were conscripts who were often forced against their which made the unenthusiastic.

Who owned the Peace party?

Parliament

What were the key features of the Peace party?

• They believed that the outcome of the war should be decided by negotiation from the king from a position of strength rather than an outright military victory over him.

• They were the strongest faction in Parliament until 1645. 

• They co-operated with the Scots in hope of obtaining socially-conservative Presbyterian settlement in England under the King.

Who owned the War party?

Parliament.

What were the key features of the War party?

• They favoured confrontation with the king and an outright military victory to impose terms rather than the negotiated settlement preferred Peace party.

• They actively supported the Parliament’s alliance with Scotland until it became apparent that the alliance was unlikely to bring swift victory and primary objective of the Scots was to secure Presbyterian settlement in England.

• It was led by Oliver Cromwell.

What were the reasons for the end of deference for Peasants?

• They were increasingly losing respect to landlords and became more rebellious against them from 1640.

What is the significance of Marston Moor?

• It was a significant victory for the Parliamentarians as it turned the tide of the war in the favour for them.

• It established Cromwell’s reputation by showing that in order for Parliament to win a different sort of army led by a different sort of commander was needed to win.

When did the Battle of Marston Moor happen?

2nd July 1644.

What was Cromwell’s solution for the Parliament’s army?

• The Self-Denying Ordinance

What is the Self-Denying Ordinance?

An act where anyone who sat in the Commons or the Lords had to resign their army posts. This would get rid of existing commanders and choose to keep only those who were effective.

What was the impact of the Self-Denying Ordinance?

It allowed for a rise of officers from lower ranks of the hierachy who displayed merit to have a chance.

Who created the New Model Army?

Oliver Cromwell.

Who were the grandees of the New Model Army?

• Sir Thomas Fairfax (Lord general of the army)

• Oliver Cromwell (second in command)

• Henry Ireton (a leading general)

How did Cromwell organise the new Parliamentarian army?

• He did not base it on old-fashioned feudal rules.

• It was made up of Puritan volunteers who were committed to the cause (unlike Peasant conscripts), hardworking and driven by religious convictions.

• It was made up from enthusiastic Puritan volunteers around the country and the army became more mobile than its opponents.

What was the social significance of the New Model Army?

• Many saw the formation as an attack on social hierarchy and as a new way of organising for warfare.

• He had created a disciplined force from volunteers motivated by political and religious enthusiasm which committed to total victory.

• Promotions were made not just on the basis of military skill but also on their godliness.

What did Cromwell say about the significance of the New Model Army?

“I had rather have a plain russet-coated captain that knows what he fights for … than that which can tell a gentleman nothing else”.

What were the results?

• The New Model Army inflicted defeat on the Royalists at the Battle of Naseby.

What was the Battle of Naseby?

When was the Battle of Naseby?

14th June 1645.

Why was the First Civil War ultimately inconclusive?

• England and Scotland both had parties could prove strong enough to dominate the rest.

• Presbyterians (Peace Party).

• Independents (War Party).

• Charles was practically a prisoner and was considered by many to be necessary to ensure the success of whichever amongst the parties could come terms with.

What issues did the Civil war have on England?

• It brought serious economic problems to the country.

• The war had resulted in deep political divisions and was by no means conclusive by 1646.

• Radicalisation of the New Model Army.

What was the Royalist division like between Charles and Cavaliers?

• Charles tended to side with the Cavaliers against moderate Royalists.

• Cavaliers wanted nothing less than a complete military victory over Parliament.

• In 1643, Charles had declared Parliament was an illegal assembly.

What is the Solemn League?

An agreement made in 1643 between the Scottish Covenanters and the English Parliamentarians during the First English Civil War.

What were Denzil Holles’s key ideas of the Presbyterian Army?

• He was horrified by the idea of a transference of a government of the state from the king and ruling families to Parliamentary leaders.

• He felt that now the “evil” advisors were out of the way, Charles should be given the benefit of the doubt and returned to full power.

What were Robert Devereaux’s key ideas of the Presbyterian Army?

• Taxes should be reduced as part of a shift to traditional forms of governance.

• New Model Army was too expensive to maintain but also filled with radicals who threatened the natural social order and should be disbanded.

What were Edward Montague’s key ideas of the Presbyterian Army?

• Victory could not have been achieved without Parliament’s Scottish allies.

• The Solemn League and Covenant offered the best chance of healing the divisions in the country and guaranteed social stability.

What caused the divisions in Parliament to get worse?

• The loss of key figures such as John Hampden (died in June 1643) and John Pym (died in December 1643).

• After Marston Moor, many soldiers were uncomfortable about the proposed imposition of a Presbyterian Church settlement in England.

• The War Party came to regret their promises with the Scots and believed that they could win the civil war on their own.

Who were the Independents?

The Independents were a religious and political faction in the English Civil War, primarily known for their belief that individual congregations should control their own religious affairs without a national hierarchy.

What were the key features of the Independents?

• They rejected the idea of an established church to which everybody was compelled to.

• They regarded a true church as a gathering of “true believers".

• They separated from the established church and formed own independent and self-governing congregations.

What are the key differences between the Independents and Presbyterians?

• Independents were defined by their insistence on allowing a degree of religious freedom which would also involve restricting the powers of the king.

• Presbyterians were strong in Parliament.

• Independent’s retained the support of the army.

What are the key points of the parliamentary fragmentation?

• They had been united against Charles, but as the war progressed they had been divided by both political and religious consideration.

• They accepted the established church but sought to change along Scottish lines so its government went from Episcopalian to Presbyterian.