The Course of the War
• Militia Ordinance of 1642 called for a
formation of a parliamentary army
• Puritans, Presbyterians, middle class support
Parliament called Roundheads
• Anglicans, Catholics, and most nobility
support the king called Cavaliers
1643
• Roundheads allied with Presbyterian Scotland
– Promised to impose Presbyterianism on England
for military help
• Charles called on Irish Catholics for help
1644
• Oliver Cromwell, a Puritan leader of
Parliament, led his New Model Army against
the Cavaliers at Marston Moor and defeated
them decisively
Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army
defeated the royalists in the English
Civil War.
Stock Montage, Inc./Historical Pictures Collection
1645
• Charles surrendered to the Scots
1647
• Scots turned Charles over to Parliament,
which was led by Cromwell’s Independents
who favored religious toleration
• Scots turned about and allied with Charles
who promised to impose Presbyterianism on
England
1648
• Cromwell defeated the Scots and helped
purge the Presbyterians from Parliament
• The Rump Parliament voted to behead Charles
for treason
1649
• With the death of Charles, England became a
republic, the Commonwealth
• Cromwell and his army had the power
• Puritans massacred Irish supporters of the
crown
Oliver Cromwell (Puritan)
• From 1649 to 1660, England ran basically as a
military dictatorship which brutally conquered
Scotland and Ireland (Catholic)
– Based on Puritan ideals
• Faced internal opposition from radical
ProtestantsLevellers and Diggers (universal
suffrage)
– Destroyed the Levellers after several revolts against his
rule
• put in Puritan prohibitions against drunkenness,
theatre going, and dancing
Cromwell and Parliament
• 1652Cromwell sent his army to disperse
Parliament after members wanted to challenge
Cromwell
• 1653”Instrument of Government” (only
written constitution in English history) provided
for a republic headed by the Protectorate
• Cromwell stepped into Lord Protector, but still
had problems with Parliament
– Dismissed Parliament and turned England into 12
military districts headed by 12 generals
1653--1660
• Cromwell was designated Lord Protector by a
puppet Parliament and ruled until his death in
1658
• Tiring of absolutism, Charles II of the Stuart
dynasty is returned to the throne