The British Civil Wars, 1642–51

Abstract

The traditional title of ‘The English Civil War’ has lost favour among historians of late because it suggests a homogeneous conflict within one kingdom, whereas it is clear that more than one civil war was fought, more than one country was involved and that events unfolded in a quite startling and unforeseen way, with the various players competing for completely different prizes. The belated recognition by English historians of the crucial role played by both Scotland and Ireland has led to a general preference for the term ‘British Civil Wars’ or ‘Wars of the Three Kingdoms’. While one certainly must bear in mind the different course and impact of the fighting in each of the three kingdoms, the crucial point is that it was their fusing together that ignited the flames of protracted warfare. The Scottish crisis of 1637 was the opening page of the drama, whose later scenes turned heavily on the preparedness of the Scots to help either Parliament or the king. As for Ireland, its role was surely necessary to buttress the notion of a great Catholic conspiracy which so obsessed men like Pym; the rebellion there in October 1641 lit the spark that flamed up into civil war in England less than a year later.