In the mid-17 th century, bloody conflicts between king and parliament ravaged the British Isles in an era of revolution and reprisals with a far-reaching and long-lasting legacy. In this special edition of BBC History Magazine, a range of expert historians provide insights into the background, causes, protagonists, actions and aftermath of the Civil War.
Inside you will find:
-Fresh perspectives on Charles I and Cromwell
-How war affected the lives of ordinary people
-The impact of printed propaganda
-Clashes across England, Wales and Ireland
-Why the Restoration transformed Britain
WELCOME
Civil War: context, conflict and resolution • Ann Hughes traces the key moments in the lead-up to, progress and aftermath of the long sequence of hostilities
THE PATH TO WAR
RISING OF THE REBEL LORDS • The Civil War didn’t simply pit parliament against lords. John Adamson explains the overlooked part of rebellious republican-leaning nobles in the start of the conflict
Challenging the traditional line
Charles I: a king under attack
CHARLES I NEITHER MARTYR NOR TRAITOR • The ‘White King’ is commonly painted as a high-handed man whose belief in the Divine Right of Kings and attempts to control Scottish religion sparked the Civil War. But as Leanda de Lisle explains, the truth is much more complex and intriguing
THE MAKING OF A MILITARY GENIUS • In just two years, Oliver Cromwell made the journey from little-known MP with no experience of armed combat to brilliant, battle-winning leader. Martyn Bennett reveals how a military novice became one of British history’s greatest warriors
The countdown to Marston Moor
THE WAR OF BLOOD • John Morrill visits eight places associated with encounters across England, Scotland and Ireland between 1638-51
Charles I’s secret agent • Through the long and difficult years of the Civil War, the king needed all the help he could get. John Fox tells the story of one woman who came to the king’s aid in many subtle ways
The great misconceptions of the Civil War • It was an accidental war. It was fought by gentlemen. Cromwell was the key to victory… Our experts explode 10 myths of the seismic 17th-century conflict
LIVING THROUGH CONFLICT
THIS LAST REFUGE OF MONARCHY • The conflict that tore Britain apart in the 1640s wasn’t just an ‘English’ Civil War. Lloyd Bowen shows that the role of largely royalist Wales is often understated
Fortified flashpoints • When the Civil War came to Wales in the 1640s, much of the fighting was centred around the country’s many castles
THE HOME FRONT • Faced with unfamiliar challenges during the Civil War, women were forced to take on new roles – from defending family homes to battling bureaucracy. Anne Laurence explores the travails of a range of women struggling to make ends meet in a time of conflict
THE IRISH QUESTION • Cromwell’s campaign in Ireland was marred by heavy losses and brutality against Irish soldiers and, reputedly, civilians – yet ultimately, as Martyn Bennett explains, it enhanced his standing in England
THE PRINCE AND THE DEVIL DOG • Mark Stoyle investigates claims that Charles I’s chief cavalry commander in the Civil War was protected by a demon in the guise of a poodle
POODLE POWER • According to a contemporary pamphlet, Boy possessed a wide and diverse range of extraordinary occult powers:
“SUCH TIMES WERE NEVER BEFORE SEEN IN ENGLAND…” • Tens of thousands were killed in battle during the Civil War – but still more died from related diseases and deprivation, many of them civilians. Mark Stoyle explores the lives of ordinary people during the years of strife
LEGACY AND AFTER MATH
Charles II’s great escape • Charles Spencer and Charlotte Hodgman explore Boscobel...