The English Civil War

The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists.

Causes of English Civil War Charles I hoped to unite the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland into a new single kingdom. Many English Parliamentarians feared that setting up a new kingdom might destroy the old English traditions which had bound the English monarchy. Before the fighting, the Parliament of England did not have a large permanent role in the English system of government. Charles I believed in High Anglicanism and sacramental version of the Church of England. Puritans were afraid of reintroducing Catholicism.

The Church authorities revived the statutes passed in time of Elizabeth I about church attendance, and fined Puritans for not attending Anglican church services. Charles I attempted to apply the same religious policies in Scotland. In February of 1638, the Scots formulated their objections to royal policy in the National Covenant. Both sides began raising armies. Charles I was defeated.

The Short Parliament Charles I needed to suppress the rebellion in Scotland. He had insufficient funds, however, and had perforce to seek money from a newly-elected English Parliament in The majority faction in the new Parliament, led by John Pym, took this appeal for money as an opportunity to discuss grievances against the Crown, and opposed the idea of an English invasion of Scotland. Charles I took exception to this offence against the ruler and dissolved the Parliament after only a few weeks.

The Long Parliament Charles I summoned another English Parliament in November The new Parliament with Pym and Hampden in the lead reduced Charles´s rules. Controversies between Charles and Parliament conduced to Civil War.

The course of English Civil War Charles I left the London area for fearing for his own personal safety. Members of Parliament weren´t united- some members supported the King, more members wanted major reforms in favour of religious independence and the redistribution of power at the national level. The war quickly spread and eventually involved every level of society with the help of the Scots, Parliament won at Marston Moor (2 July 1644), gaining York and the north of England. Cromwell's conduct in this battle proved decisive, and demonstrated his potential as both a political and an important military leader.

1645- the Battle of Naseby on 14 June and the Battle of Langport on 10 July — the Parliamentarians effectively destroyed Charles´s armies Charles surrendered to Scots Charles tried to agree with Scots and he offered them new church reform. This agreement led inexorably to the other battles the Battle of Preston resulted in a victory by the troops of Cromwell over the Royalists and Scots the trial found Charles I guilty of high treason and he was beheading 19 May the proclamation of republic

pacification of Ireland and Scotland. English Royalists joined the army in England, but they came in far fewer numbers than Charles II and his Scottish supporters had hoped. Cromwell finally engaged and defeated the new king at Worcester on 3 September Charles II escaped Cromwell governed as Lord Protector restoration of parliamentary republic restoration of monarchy, coronation of Charles II. These events became known as the English Restoration.

Oliver Cromwell Charles I

Consequences The monopoly of the Church of England on Christian worship in England ended with the victors consolidating the established Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. Constitutionally, the wars established the precedent that an English monarch can not govern without Parliament's consent.