Cromwell at War: The Lord General and his Military Revolution

298 Pages·2017·36.476 MB·English

by  Martyn Bennett

MARTYN BENNETT is Professor of B M a r t y n B e n n e t t Oliver Cromwell was arguably the most
M
early Modern History at nottingham e significant political figure in the early
trent University, where he has also served n a modern history of the British Isles. yet
as the university’s first graduate school r he was also a military leader, with major
n
head. His research focuses on the British t battlefield victories to his credit. Martyn
e
and Irish civil wars, the military revolution y Bennett here provides the first military
t
of the seventeenth century and the British n biography of Cromwell in the context of the
t
Isles in the early modern period. He is seventeenth-century military revolution.
‘this authoritative account of Cromwell’s military
the author of Oliver Cromwell and the
Historical Dictionary of the British and leadership has a refreshing breadth of approach. C after commanding a small troop in 1642
Irish Civil Wars. without prior military experience, Cromwell
Based on long and intelligent reflection, it offers
rose to lead the cavalry regiments of the
r
vigorous and enjoyable arguments... It will have the
eastern association army between 1643
o
unusual merit of demanding the attention of and 1644 and led the new Model army to
final victory at Worcester in 1651, having
m
scholars while appealing to the wide public
already defeated the republic’s enemies in
audience interested in military history.’ Ireland and Scotland after becoming Lord
w General in 1650. Martyn Bennett analyses
BLAIR WORDEN,
Cromwell’s military talents and generalship,
author of The English Civil Wars 1640–1660 e in addition to his well-attested powerful and
Cromwell
even brutal discipline and religious fervour.
l
He examines the controversial Irish
l
campaigns as well as modern accusations of
(cid:0)
a genocide. In providing new perspectives on
t at Cromwell’s military career, Bennett adds to
War our understanding of england’s only non-
W
royal head of state.
(cid:0)
a
The Lord General
r
and his Military
revolution
Jacket image: Oliver Cromwell (Lord Protector) (1599–1658),
after robert Walker (c.1600 –London c.1659). Oil on canvas. Dunster Castle,
Somerset. © national trust Images / John Hammond.
Jacket design:BRILL www.ibtauris.com
Martyn Bennett is Professor of Early Modern History at Nottingham Trent
University, where he has also served as the university’s first graduate school
head. His research focuses on the British and Irish civil wars, the military
revolutionoftheseventeenthcenturyandtheBritishIslesintheearlymodern
period. He is the author of Oliver Cromwell and the Historical Dictionary of the
BritishandIrishCivilWars.
‘ThisauthoritativeaccountofCromwell’smilitaryleadershiphasarefreshing
breadthofapproach.Basedonlongandintelligentreflection,itoffersvigorous
and enjoyable arguments and is often original in its judgements. It will have
theunusual merit of demanding the attention of scholars while appealing to
thewidepublicaudienceinterestedinmilitaryhistory.’
BlairWorden,authorofTheEnglishCivilWars1640–1660
CROMWELL
AT WAR
The Lord General and his Military
Revolution
M B
ARTYN ENNETT
Publishedin2017by
I.B.Tauris&Co.Ltd
London(cid:129)NewYork
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CONTENTS
ListofPlates viii
ListofMaps ix
Acknowledgements x
Preface xi
1. CromwelltheMan 1
2. CromwellandtheComingofWar 14
3. CaptainCromwell:TheMakingoftheSoldier 36
4. CromwelltheTactician:EdgehilltoWinceby 59
5. CromwelltheGeneral,1644 82
6. ThePoliticsofWar,1644–7 104
7. CromwellinCommand 130
8. CromwellAlone:Ireland,1648–9 159
9. TheLordGeneral 189
10. CromwellatWar 210
Notes 231
Bibliography 253
Index 263
LIST OF PLATES
PLATE1OliverCromwell,byRobertWalker,c.1649.NationalPortraitGallery
NPG536.
PLATE2 FrancisWilloughby,5thBaronWilloughbyofParham,byunknown
artist,mid-seventeenthcentury.NationalPortraitGalleryNPGD27155.
PLATE3AreconstructionofcivilwarNewarkbySimonFleming.
PLATE 4 Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester, by unknown artist,
published1647.NationalPortraitGalleryNPGD18333.
PLATE5ThomasFairfax,3rdLordFairfaxofCameron,byWenceslausHollar,
afterRobertWalkeretching,1648.NationalPortraitGalleryNPGD23416.
PLATE 6 Harquebusier’s armour. English, mid-seventeenth century. q Royal
Armouries.
PLATE 7 The Battle of Dunbar, 1650. Seventeenth-century plan by Payne
Fisher.LebrechtMusicandArtsPhotoLibrary/AlamyStockPhoto.
PLATE 8 The north walls at Clonmel. Part of the town walls which survived
Cromwell’sassaultinMay1650.DesignPicsInc/AlamyStockPhoto.
PLATE 9 Gold Dunbar medal showing Oliver Cromwell, by Peter Blondeau,
afteranoriginalbyThomasSimon,1656.NationalPortraitGalleryNPG4068.
LIST OF MAPS
AllmapscreatedbySueSinclair.
MAP1TheBattleofMarstonMoor. xiv
MAP2TheBattleofNaseby. xv
MAP3TheBattleofPreston. xvi
MAP4TheBattleofWorcester. xvii