The Civil War Flashcards
What happened with Oxford in the 1640s?
For 4 years, Oxford rivalled London as the capital city of England. During the English Civil War and the Battle of Edgehill (the first battle of the war), Charles withdrew to Oxford after a battle had ensued that ended with no clear victor. Royalist troops had already occupied the city so when Charles moved there, it was rather easy to transition it into his wartime capital. Charles’ royal parliament was moved there alongside the central law courts, the exchequer and the royal mint. Thus, England had two capital cities with neither recognising the legitimacy of the other
When and how did the English Civil War arise?
The Civil War began in 1642 where trouble had been brewing between King Charles I and Parliament for more than a decade. In 1629, Charles disbanded Parliament due to Parliament’s desire to curb the powers of the King and prevent his strong religious policies and practices from causing danger. When parliament was finally called in 1640, it erupted into open revolt
What was Oxford Castle used for when King Charles’ resided there?
Whilst Charles took up residence at the college of Christ Church, Oxford Castle was used for holding Parliamentarian prisoners of war. Oxford Castle attracted a fierce reputation that prison camps such as Auschwitz did in the 20th century with horror stories emerging of the appalling conditions inside and the senseless brutality of the King’s prison-keeper, Marshall William Smith (promote the Ghost Tour to hear the stories of the Parliamentary prisoners)
Who was Captain John Lilburne?
Captain John Lilburne was a prisoner of war and was known for his outspoken opinion on tyranny and was an upholder of rights and liberty for the English people. As a result, he spent most of his adult life behind bars by order of the authoritative rule of the monarchy. When arrested for treason at Oxford Castle in 1642, Lilburne managed to smuggle a letter out of the castle to his wife, Elizabeth
What was significant about Captain John Lilburne’s wife?
Despite being heavily pregnant, after receiving John’s letter, Elizabeth presented herself at the House of Commons to plead for her husband’s life. After some deliberation, parliament ruled that they would execute multiple Royalist prisoners if Lilburne was to be sentenced to death. Elizabeth had two days to get to Oxford on foot by slipping through enemy lines to deliver the letter from Parliament. Luckily, she arrived just in time and saved her husband’s life. They would be reunited when John Lilburne was released six months later
Why was the tyranny of Marshall Smith short-lived?
In 1646, Oxford fell to the Parliamentarian general Sir Thomas Fairfax which forced King Charles to flee to Newark where he would venture with the Scottish Presbyterian Army by disguising himself as a servant
In 1646, why did Oxford Castle decrease in significance during the English Civil War?
Fairfax having reinforced the castle as a site for battle as opposed to a prison, the theatres of war had shifted elsewhere and Oxford Castle’s days in the midst of the action were over
What happened to Oxford Castle at the end of the English Civil War?
The Castle relinquished its military and defensive function for good. Most of the fortifications that had been built by the occupying armies in the 1640s were demolished
Did King Charles actually stay at the Castle during the war when he moved there and made Oxford the wartime capital in 1642?
No, he personally stayed in Christ Church College whilst his wife, Henrietta Maria, took lodgings at Merton College
