Short History Of... The English Civil Wars, Part 2 of 2
Oct 4, 2026
Mark Stoyle, Professor of History at the University of Southampton, explores the English Civil Wars’ explosive aftermath. Parliament’s victory fractures its uneasy alliance, while the New Model Army enters politics and Charles I sparks renewed conflict through secret deals. From Pride’s Purge and the King’s unprecedented trial to regicide, Cromwell’s republic, and the Restoration, England is transformed.
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Charles Kept Fighting Through Negotiation
- Charles remained dangerous because he believed divided opponents could be played against one another.
- He negotiated separately with the Scots, Parliament, and army factions instead of accepting meaningful limits on royal power.
The Army Debated England’s Future
- The New Model Army evolved from Parliament’s military instrument into a political organization with its own constitutional vision.
- At the Putney Debates, officers and ordinary soldiers argued over property, hierarchy, political rights, and representation.
Charles’s Secret Deal Triggered Another War
- Charles’s secret agreement with Scotland revived the war by exploiting divisions among Presbyterians, royalists, Scots, and Independents.
- The New Model Army’s military superiority transformed his renewed rebellion into proof that compromise with him was impossible.