October 1642
Battle of Edgehill - a draw
Royalist weaknesses
1) Charles not a good leader
2) HM arrived with troops from Holland but little impact
3) Cessation Treaty with the Irish, paved the way for them to help, but they arrived in bits and pieces and were easily defeated
4) Lost control of most of the ports, so couldn’t get further help from abroad
5) His base was Oxford not London, meant his supply routes (mainly from Wales) were stretched
6) Feud’s between his commanders
7) Money from traditional levels soon ran out - he had to raise an excise tax
Parliamentary strengths
1) Parliament controlled London - printing presses in particular helped them spread propaganda
2) They had the strongest militia - London trained bands = 20,000 by 1643. They were highly trained and funded since the 1930s and were drilled like professional soldiers.
3) Controlling London gave Parl access to funds and loans from the city of London merchants
4) Political legitimacy came from the control of Parliament itself. They could administer various government departments.
5) Parl controlled the navy and most ports
6) They controlled the south and east which were the richest areas - they were able to raise money from taxes
7) The political leadership was stable until the death of Pym
July 1644
Parliament won the Battle of Marston Moor with Scottish help
Oct 1644 Second Battle of Newbury
Failed to achieve victory despite a larger army
Self-denying Ordinance 1644
All ministers and Lords had to resign their commands, to remove commanders who had performed badly. it was revised in 1645 to allow some MPs to be reappointed, including Cromwell.
Feb 1645
Ordinance passed creating the New Model army
NMA
21,000 men, well paid, promotions on merit, deeply religious fighting in the name of God, same uniform, strict discipline, and intelligence department.
July 1645
Battle of Naseby - Parliamentary victory.
May 1646
Charles surrenders to the Scots
Popular radicals
Levellers, Fifth monarchists, Ranters and the Diggers
The Newcastle propositions
Parliament offered Charles a settlement.
- Parl would nominate key officers of state
- Parl would control the militia for 20 years
- Bishops would be abolished and a Presby church would be created for 3 years
- Charles had to sign a covenant
- King’s treaty with the Irish would be annulled and the war would start again
- 58 Royalists would be exempt from pardon and punished for the involvement in the Civil War
Charles handed to the English
Scots realised Charles wouldn’t agree to a fully Presbyterian Church of England.
Parl angry when they found out Charles had been negotiating with the Scots since 1646
Charles seemed not to agree anything, he was sold to the English.
Scots left England in January 1647.
Charles’ response to the Newcastle propositions
He delayed for AGES…
He acknowledged a willingness to:
- surrender the military for 10 years (not 20)
- an experiment with Presbyterianism for 5 years, as long as the CofE would eventually be restored
- He would not agree to changing the governance of the church
May 1647
Agreed to a modified version of the propositions but only because he was negotiating with the Scots to regain his throne.
Divisions in the army
Presbys and independents
How divided was the army?
Attempt to disband them without arrears of pay, send 12,000 to Ireland and not give them indemnity made them a little cross!
Independents, presbys
The Army revolt, June 1647
Cornet Joyce captured the King. - leading officers stood with the army.
Gerneral Council of the Army was established - to discuss political issues
Representation of the Army
Demanded the expulsion of 11 Presby MPs and fresh elections
4th August 1647
Fairfax led his forces to London as a show of strength - Six Presby MPs fled abroad
The Heads of Proposals August 1647
Peace treaty offered to Charles
- Triennial Act repealed and replaced by Biennial Act
- Parliament nominate key officers of state for 10 years
- Parl control the militia for 10 years
- Bishops in the Church of England but no coercive powers
- 7 Royalists exempt from pardon (58 in Newcastle Propositions)
More reasonable than Newcastle Propositions
Grandees were more moderate
The putney debates - Oct 1647
The ‘case of the army truly stated’ own proposals and ‘an Agreement of the people’ potential settlement. Putney debates to discuss political settlement.
-Demanded complete religious freedoms and annual parliaments elected by all adult males
Charles escapes
He escaped from Hampton Court- ended up in Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight.
The Corkbush field mutiny
Putney debates ended with Charles’ exscpae to the disappointment of many. A group of radicals appeared at Corkbush field with the Agreement of the People. Cromwell rode into the ranks to restore order - and punish the leaders, one of whom was shot.
The Engagement - 26th December
Envoys from Scotland approached Charles on the Isle of Wight. Charles accepted it while rejecting the 4 Bills ( modified version of the newcastle propositions, in return for military assistance, he agreed to set up a Presby church for 3 years in England.
Vote of no addresses - 3rd January 1648
Passed by House of Commons, 141 to 91. Stated there would be no more negotiations with the King, because of his negotiations with the Scots. Passed by the Lords on 17th January.
Charles defeated - April 1648
Scots enter England triggering a brief 2nd Civil War, following a number of pro-Royal protests. The Scots were easily defeated at the Battle of Preston.
The Windsor prayer meeting April 1648
Cromwell was away, and increasing Royalist protests led to Ireton and other officers meeting for a prayer meeting and deciding ‘that man of blood’ should be held to account for eat ‘blood he had shed and the mischief he had done’
Negotiations at Newport
Ireton petitioned Parliament for a trial. They wanted one more round of negotiations and began discussions at Newport. Charles continued to deceive and delay
The trial - 20-27 January
Commons brought an ordinance to create a special trial, Lord rejected it.
Commons declared it had sole authority.
Passed an Act to set it up
Trial took 7 days
135 commisioners set up, 68 heard the case
Charles refused to recognise the authority of the court
Found guilty
Publicly executed on 30th Jan 1649
The trial - 20-27 January
Commons brought an ordinance to create a special trial, Lord rejected it.
Commons declared it had sole authority.
Passed an Act to set it up
Trial took 7 days
135 commissioners set up, 68 heard the case
Charles refused to recognise the authority of the court
Found guilty
Publicly executed on 30th Jan 1649
