First Civil War (1642-1646) Flashcards
What was the first battle and the date
Battle of Edgehill, 23rd October 1642
How did the battle of Edgehill occur
In the late summer, both sides wanted a decisive battle to bring the war to a speedy end
The king needed a quick victory before parliament could mobilise its resources
The king ordered his army to deploy on Edgehill, a high ridge
What happened at Edgehill
Despite the king being on the upper ground, he ordered his men to move and meet parliament on a flat plain
Both sides - evenly matched 15,000 men each
Royalist Calvery commanded by Prince Rupert chased the Parliamentarian cavalry leaving the royalist infantry exposed in the centre with parliament having the only effective cavalry left on the battlefield
What was the result of Edgehill
The following day, neither army was in a fit state to continue the battle with 3,000 men dead
The king resumed his march towards London, establishing his HQ in Oxford
Both sides ended the year consolidating their HQ’s and reflecting on their first experiences of battle
What was the Oxford Treaty
Parliament’s lacklustre permanence at Edgehill, together with the general revulsion of the outbreak of war, led to renewed attempts at a negotiated peace
Parliament’s terms were essentially a mild version of the 19 propositions with additional clauses against papists
Charles’ reply to the approach made Pym’s task much easier, Parliament had spent weeks drawing up new proposals, so Lords and MP’s alike were incensed when the king declared that whoever had drawn them up only wanted ‘to make things worse and worse’.
Negotiations dragged on until late spring but had little chance of success
Throughout the civil war, the royalists faced the problem of……………….and…………………….as these were men of widely differing views
Internal divisions
Political arguments
Give the two groups within the royalists and the significance of it
Cavaliers - wanted a complete military victory
Moderates - wanted to negotiate peace treaties
Charles tried to hold these groups together but tended to side with the cavaliers
These divisions within the royalists were significant as it made them appear weaker and less cohesive
Give some members of the Cavaliers (war party) and what they encouraged
Henrietta Maria, Lord Digby and Earl of Newcastle
- After the Battle of Edgehill, the king decided to march to London instead of offering terms for negotiation
- The king rejected Parliament’s terms during the Oxford treaty (March 1643)
- The king decided to negotiate with the Irish Catholics leading to the Cessation treaty
Give some influences that the Moderates had over the king
The king’s replies to the grand remonstrance and the 19 propositions were masterpieces of moderation, designed to split Pym and his supporters
1644, Hyde persuaded the king to open the Oxford parliament, to show that the king wanted to work hand in hand with a loyal parliament once the war was over
August 1643, the moderates persuaded the king to lay siege over Gloucester rather than take it by assault
What did Pym achieve in the early years of the war
Parliamentary divisions didn’t cripple the efficiency of the armies due to his skilful political ability
Managed to maintain the Earl of Essex in his role despite pressure from the war group to replace hum and pressure from the peace group to negotiate a settlement
By retaining Essex, Pym smoothed relations with the House L and reassured the county gentry that the war would not tip into absolute chaos
Therefore, political turmoil did little to influence the outcome of the Civil War in the early years due to Pym’s ability to unite parliament
When did Pym die
1643, coupled with John Hampden and Lord Brooke, both leading members of the Puritan networks, shaking the foundations of parliament and creating deep divisions
Give some reasons for disunity amongst the parliamentarians (4)
Military Setbacks - Earl of Essex was finding it difficult to win and began aligning himself with the peace party to make a settlement
Religious - religious debate caused by the Covenant, coupled with an upsurge of radical religious pamphlets triggered by the collapse of censorship caused problems within Westminster and beyond, Major Crowford attempted to remove soldiers he deemed too radical
Fear of Disorder - a new element of social tension was introduced as ordinary soldiers began to be promoted into positions traditionally reserved for the higher social classes
Anxiety About the Future - As the enormity of what Parliament had undertaken in fighting the king had sunk in, some began to fear that there was little prospect of a good ending
What did Cromwell hope to achieve from the Self-denying Ordinance
A decisive attempt to regain the political initiative fro the war party
What was the men and money situation for the royalists
Typically better equipped than the parliamentarians as a result of the commander’s individual wealth
Earl of Worcester donated over £900,000 to the war effort
Give a financial weakness of the Royalists
As the war progressed Royalist financial difficulties grew.
This was largely due to the fact that loyal supporters who had given so generously initially, were no longer at home managing their estates and thus could not provide any more loans.
Taxation provided lass than that which parliament received.
How was command and leadership managed by the royalists
King was at the top of the military command structure, becoming commander in chief
No one challenged his authority
Charles started to make appointments based on social and political status rather than competence and ability - Prince Rupert. (Nepotism as opposed to Parliament’s Meritocratic system - Cromwell)
What was finance and funding like for Parliament
In the early months, Parliament aimed to create adequate funding
June 1642, an ordinance securing £100,000 to be lent to Parliament
August 1642, an ordinance for raising money in London
November, Ordinance for the better provision of food and other necessities for the army
What was the problem of the county Militia for parliament
Unwilling to fight outside their county as they saw their role as primarily defensive
Fixed this by fussing counties together into associations, still did not create meaningful military units though
What was the Battle of Marston Moor
One of the largest ever fought on English soil and took place on 2nd July 1644
First real parliamentary victory after only two hours
Parliament + Scotland combined force of 22,000 men
The victory for Parliament resulted in them taking control of York and the North - established Cromwell’s reputation as a great commander
When was the Battle of Naseby
14th June, 1645
What was the Battle of Naseby
One of the most significant
Proved a decisive victory for Parliament and marked the beginning of the end for the royalists
Royalists outnumbered 2:1 yet Charles initiated the attack anyway
Upon defeat, Charles’ private papers were captured and revealed the king’s association with Irish and European Catholics. parliament published these papers which boosted support for the case that the king was a catholic sympathiser and increased his opposition
What is the name for parliament’s proposed alliance with the Scotts
The Solemn League and Covenant