Year 8 revision

The Civil War

The English Civil War

Charles came to the throne in 1625. Relations between Charles I and Parliament
gradually got worse until a Civil War Erupted in 1642. Long term causes of the Civil War
included: Charles ‘character, Charles economic issues, the impact of his religious
decisions and the problems he faced with Scotland. Until 1640, Charles ruled without a
Parliament – the 'Eleven Years' Tyranny'. Ultimately these issues between Charles I
and parliament are what caused tension between the two sides which eventually boiled
over into conflict.

War with Scotland forced Charles to recall Parliament. Instead of granting Charles
money, Parliament sent him the Grand Remonstrance (1641). This was a list of 204
complaints about the way he was running the country. After Charles had tried and
failed to arrest the five leaders of the Parliament, a Civil War broke out, when Charles
decided he would defeat parliament and force them to agree to his style of rule.

The English Civil War started in 1642 when Charles I raised his royal standard in
Nottingham. The split between Charles and Parliament was such that neither side was
willing to back down over the principles that they held and war was inevitable as a way
in which all problems could be solved. There were only three major battles in the
English Civil War – Edge Hill (1642) Marston Moor (1644) and Naseby (1645), most
other battles that occurred were minor fights between small groups of Royalists and
Parliamentarians. While it is difficult to give an exact breakdown of who supported who
as there were regional variations, at a general level the nobility, landowners and
Anglicans supported Charles I while those in the towns and cities supported
Parliament. The Cavaliers, supporters of Charles, had the advantage at first due to
better equipment and training. However this changed with the introduction of the New
Model Army. This new Model Army, led by Oliver Cromwell, was better equipped, with
better tactics, meaning that the Roundheads had a better chance against the Cavaliers.
In 1644, Charles lost control of the north of England as a result of a major defeat at
the Battle of Marston Moor. The combined armies of Parliament and the Scots heavily
defeated the Royalists. In June 1645, Cromwell’s New Model Army inflicted a fatal
blow to the king’s army at the Battle of Naseby. Charles did not recover from this
defeat and his cause was lost.

In 1646, Charles surrendered to the Scots rather than to Parliament. The Scots took
advantage of Charles and sold him to Parliament for £400,000 in January 1647. The
problem Parliament now had was what to do with Charles. The king actually helped in his
own downfall. In November 1647, he escaped to Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of
Wight and in 1648 the short-lived second civil war broke out. The supporters of the
king were defeated at Preston. All that Charles had proved to Parliament was that he
could not be trusted. In January 1649 Charles was found guilty of declaring war against
parliament and was executed on January 30th 1649.
 Questions- Answer these in full sentences

1. When did the Civil

War begun?

2. What were the

causes that led to the
Civil War?
3. Why did Charles
needed Parliament's
help?

4. What was the

Grand Remonstrance?

5. Why the Civil War

broke out?

6. What were the

major battles in the
English Civil War?

7. Who supported
Charles?

8. And who supported

Parliament?

9. What was the New

Model Army?

10. When was Charles

executed?

11. What is your

personal opinion on
Charles I?
 Does Charles I deserve to be remembered as a Great Leader- How far do you agree
with this?

Introduction- How you could agree- How you could disagree- Your own opinion

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