Summary Unit 4: : Royalist and Parliamentary Strengths & Weaknesses in the First Civil War.

Unit 4: 1642-1646: Royalist and Parliamentary Strengths & Weaknesses in the First Civil​
​
​War.​


Royalists​
​ Parliament​
​

​●​ Loyalty & Tradition​
​ ​- natural allegiance fell​ ​●​ Control of London​-​
​ ​ ​London gave​
​towards the king and against Parliamentary​ ​Parliament resources of men, finance and​
​radicalism.​ ​the political hotspot of the Country,​
​●​ Access to resources​
​ ​- King had direct​ ​Westminster.​
​contact to industries like the Evelyn family​ ​●​ Militia​-​
​ ​ ​Creation of NMA 1645 confirmed​
​providing Gunpowder.​ ​Parliamentary militia strength.​
​●​ Financial​
​ ​- Royalist nobles like Earl of​ ​-​ ​Solemn League & Covenant 1644​​-​
​Worcester (£300,000) & Earl of Newcastle​ ​Scottish troops​​gave Parliament​
​(£700,000) provided considerable​ ​the chance to advance upon​
​(temporary) funds.​ ​weakened Royalists in Marston​
​●​ Leadership of Prince Rupert​-​
​ ​ ​The King's​ ​Moor 1644.​
​nephew provided military experience with​ ​●​ ​Financial structure​​- Built for long term​
​the following strategies:​ ​war.​
​-​ ​Continental style earthworks​ ​-​ ​June 1642 Ordinance - £100,000​
​-​ ​Modified cavalry charge​ ​-​ ​February 1643 Ordinance - Weekly​
​-​ ​Converging columns of infantry​ ​assessments that required each​
​●​ Royalist county committees​-​
​ ​ ​Local Royalist​ ​county to provide money to​
​regions began to form.​ ​Parliament weekly.​
​●​ Command of the Army​-​
​ ​ ​despite Parliament's​ ​-​ ​April 1643 Ordinance - Parliaments​
​militia ordinance 1642, Charles still legally​ ​Sequestration Ordinance - Gave​
​had command of the army.​ ​Parliament permission to​
​confiscate Royalist lands.​
​-​ ​May 1643 Ordinance - Compulsory​
​loans to businesses and land​
​owners.​
​●​ Leadership of Pym​
​ ​until 1643 - ‘King Pym’​
​laid foundations for victory by organising​
​the financial structures and providing​
​manpower for Parliament.​
​●​ Foreign Assistance​
​ ​- Scottish allegiance​
​created a turning point for Parliament.​

​●​ Leadership of Charles I​-​
​ ​ ​Poor military​ ​●​ Political division​-​
​ ​ ​Three parties in​
​experience and leadership.​ ​Parliament:​
​-​ ​Constant prevarication of​ ​-​ ​Peace group - Believed in fear of​
​negotiations, due to stubborn​ ​war and ‘survive rather than​
​adherence to divine right.​​Allowed​ ​conquer’​
​Parliament to advance.​ ​-​ ​Middle group - Offensive but​
​-​ ​Based promotions off of status​ ​negotiation strategy - ‘Untrusting​
​rather than merit.​ ​of King’​
​-​ ​All six of his regional commanders​ ​-​ ​War group - Offensive and radical​
​were grandees.​ ​strategy eg. Earl of Manchester.​
​●​ Political divisions​-​
​ ​ ​conflict between Prince​ ​These created significant disadvantages.​
​Rupert and Lord Digby created poor​ ​●​ Finance of the army​
​ ​- The army was often​
​leadership and divisions.​ ​poorly financed and caused ill disciplined​
​-​ ​‘War’ vs ‘Peace’ faction.​ ​troops.​
​●​ Commissions of Array​-​
​ ​ ​Tactical blunder​
​attempting to raise local armies, based on​
​medieval constitutional pathways. Alienating​
​Parliamentarians and local populations.​
​●​ Financial​-​
​ ​ ​Temporary support but not​
​enough for a long term war.​
​●​ Lack of Foreign Assistance​-​
​ ​ ​Irish Cessation​
​1643 was a tactical blunder that​​pushed the​
​Parliamentary Solemn Engagement into​
​being.​
​-​ ​Negotiations with the French Pope​
​arose suspicions of Popery.​
​●​ Territory & Resource​
​ ​- Royalists had control​
​of less wealthy regions.​
​-​ ​Troops infrequently paid​
​-​ ​Royalists suffered from​​Clubmen​
​Movements.​