The English Civil Wars were faught between Charles I of England and a powerful body of his
subjects, the parliamentarians. The Wars were to end with the defeat and execution of the
King and the foundation of a short lived republican Commonwealth with a Huntingdon
Gentleman at its head.
This was by many called a Puritan Revolution as many of the king's opponents were
Puritans. The conflict was to be simply stated by others to have been a war between a king
who claimed to rule by divine right and a Parliament who's right to rule or govern the
nation independent of the Crown. Charles was to make none of the concessions that his
father had made so the conflict was set into motion. Parliaments attempts to restrict the
King's powers failed, Parliament was not called from 1629 to 1640 and only then because
Charles wanted money for the Bishops' Wars. In the 1630's Charles attempted to impose a
prayer book in Scotland and this led to riots and War. Charles invaded to restore order
and this ended in a farce and failing miserably he was forced to sign the Treaty of
Berwick in 1639. Charles could only do this whilst he had no Parliament, but this led to
great British resentment, and for his personal rule to collapse, and Parliamentto be
returned.
At the same time Charles recalled to Court his Lord Deputy of Ireland, Thomas Wentworth
Earl of Strafford. A Yorkshire Landowner, Wentworth was a man of great capabilities. He
had made great reforming moves in finance and administration, but in the process made
groups of Northern and Irish landowners and State Officials resentful. A successful
Scottish invasion in the Autumn of 1640 left Charles having to sign the Treaty of Ripon
and accept a temporary occupation in the North by the Scottish. Charles summoned the Peers
for advice and recalled his Parliament, the 'Long Parliament'. In an attempt to appease
the Parliament Charles allowed his advisor Strafford to be impeached by Parliament and
quickly executed.
Parliament tried to promote the 'Grand Remonstrance' which contained a list of the evils
of Charles' reign. It also attempted to gather an army with a militia bill. Charles
organised the army himself and refused many of the Parliaments demands. Attempts were made
by both sides to obtain popular support, Charles was backed by the nobles, Anglicans and
Catholics, Parliament backed by the trading and artisan groups, with some support from the
Scotch Covenanters.
The First Civil War between the two parties was mainly indecisive, until the tide was
turned by the ability of Cromwell with the victories at Marston Moor and Naseby. The King
surrendered in 1645 and the first civil war ended.
Charles eventually escaped in 1647 and the Second Civil War was faoght. Thomas Pride
(fated to be a regicide) caused Pride's Purge where he led a regiment to Parliament and
expelled Royalist and Presbyterian members who opposed the condemnation of Charles I in
1648. Also thrown out were those who were anti-army. The survivors, The Rump Parliament'
sentenced and beheaded Charles I for treason in 1649.
There had been many gains for the English in the War. The middle class emerged, religious
toleration was increased and the position between the Parliament and the King was settled
when the King was restored in 1660. The Glorious Revolution in 1688 was to confirm many of
the gains.