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Charles I attempts to arrest the Five Members
Angered by parliament's refusal to arrest for treason the most prominent MPs opposing him, King Charles takes matters into his own hands. Arriving at Westminster with a body of men, he orders John Pym, John Hampden, Denzil Holles, Sir Arthur Hesilrig, William Strode, and peer Lord Mandeville to be taken in. Forewarned of the king's approach the men flee into the city, prompting the speaker to remark to a bewildered Charles that "the birds have flown". -
Charles I raises standard
Charles I's raising of his standard at Nottingham Castle is considered generally considered to mark the outbreak of the English Civil War. The king rode to the town at the heard of 2000 cavalry, supported by a smaller number of Yorkshire infantry. It was an inauspicious beginning: the flag blew down in poor weather that night and had to be replaced. Photo: © Copyright John Sutton (CC BY SA-2.0) -
Battle of Powick Bridge
The first major skirmish, and the emergence of Prince Rupert as the leading royalist cavalry commander. The routing of parliament's horse near Worcester under Nathaniel Fiennes was a major propaganda victory for the king, even though few were actually killed. 'Where England's sorrows began' - Hugh Peters -
Battle of Edgehill
The first major pitched battle of the English Civil War, in Warwickshire. An army of 15,000 under the Earl of Essex faced a royalist force of comparable size, nominally under the command of the king himself. A narrow Royalist victory, though largely inconclusive. More about the battle -
Royalists' march on London halted at Turnham Green
The King's early chance to win the war. If Charles had taken the capital then they conflict may have been over by the end of the year. 24,000 men under Philip Skippon engaged the king's men in a stand-off at Turnham Green in south-west London, eventually forcing the king to withdraw. Read more about the battle -
Battle of Braddock Down
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Battle of Adwalton Moor
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Battle of Roundway Down
A huge success for the royalists. Lord Hopton, Lord Wilmot and Prince Maurice defeated the forces of Sir Arthur Hesilrig and Sir William Waller on the down near to Devizes. 600 of parliament's men died, with many of the horse killed after being forced to gallop over an unseen 300 feet precipice. Read more about the battle -
First Battle of Newbury
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Prince Rupert relieves Siege of Newark
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Battle of Marston Moor
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Second Battle of Newbury
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Execution of Archbishop William Laud
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Storming of Leicester
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Battle of Naseby
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Bristol falls to Parliament
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Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold
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Oxford surrenders
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The Scots surrender Charles I to Parliament
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Putney Debates begin
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The king escapes from Hampton Court
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The king signs an Engagement with the Scots
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Siege of Colchester begins
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Battle of Preston
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Pride's Purge
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Trial of Charles I begins
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Charles I executed
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Charles II proclaimed king in Edinburgh
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Cromwell arrives in Ireland
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Massacre at Drogheda
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Montrose hanged in Edinburgh
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Battle of Dunbar
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Charles II crowned at Scone
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Battle of Worcester
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First Anglo-Dutch War begins
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Parliament passes the Act for the Settlement of Ireland
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Cromwell dissolves Rump Parliament
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Cromwell installed as Lord Protector
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First Protectorate Parliament begins
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Penruddock's Uprising
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Rule of the Major-Generals proclaimed in England and Wales
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Charles II signs an alliance with Spain against the Protectorate
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Second Protectorate Parliament assembles
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Cromwell refuses the crown
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Cromwell dissolves Second Protectorate Parliament
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Death of Cromwell
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Richard Cromwell resigns as Protector
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Monck meets Fairfax at York
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Declaration of Breda read in Parliament
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Charles II enters London
