"Remember,
remember, the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason
and plot.
I see no reason why
gunpowder, treason
Should ever be
forgot."
This poem, immortalized by time and brought again into
popularity by Hollywood,
speaks of something not often remembered. Guy Fawkes' Gunpowder Plot was one of
the many events leading to the English Civil War, but what truly inspired the
revolt? How was such a war even possible, taking place not forty years after
Elizabeth I, arguably one of the most popular monarchs in the history of Great Britain?
Elizabeth
I died in 1603, childless and without a proper heir to carry on the Tudor
lineage. James Stuart, her cousin and King James VI of Scotland, was suddenly thrust upon the throne of
both England and Ireland.
Becoming James I, he was placed into a remarkably challenging position: ruling
three vastly different countries, each with their own unique histories,
animosities, and ways of living. Indeed, much of the hostility felt by the
three kingdoms was towards the selfsame three, with hatred amongst the Scots,
Irish, and English running so deep it can even be felt at times to this day.
Each nation favored a different religion as well, adding to the enmity
experienced between the Irish Catholics, Calvinist Scots, and Anglican English.
(Stoyle, 2011) However, there were still comparatively strong minorities, and
the Catholic minority in England
held out hope that James I would be less severe towards them than Elizabeth was. These
hopes were baseless, and the outrage sparked by this was felt throughout the
land.
Outrage was not the only thing sparked, with Guy Fawkes
and his fellow co-conspirators planning to demolish the Houses of Parliament –
including James I who was attending it that day – with 36 barrels of gunpowder
stored in a cellar beneath the Houses. (Alchin, 2009) Fawkes and his
co-conspirators were consequently put on trial as a traitor for plotting
against the king, being convicted and hung, drawn, and quartered.
James I attempted to stay free of foreign entanglements,
but through a series of unfortunate events, was drawn into the rather unpopular
Thirty Years' War. However, his heath deteriorated rapidly, and in 1625, James
I died, leaving the kingdoms to his son, Charles I. Charles continued the fight
for five more years, but eventually withdrew in 1630. He was a meticulous
monarch, but was obstinate, tended to keep to himself, and was a rather inept
politician, with troubled rumors regarding his government beginning to spread
almost as soon as he took the throne. (Stoyle, 2011) He further alienated Scotland by
introducing a new prayer book in 1637, inciting a livid response. He attempted
to squash the Scottish rebellion, but his iron handed attempts were disastrous,
and forced him to convene a Parliament. Disregarding the copious criticisms and
complaints leveled at his policies, Charles seemed to have lost all support. But
the Parliament was to no avail, and in 1641, the Irish took up arms against the
English and Scottish protestants living there. The revolt inspired panic in England, and
made it nigh impossible for political cooperation. Charles I and Parliament
could not reach an agreement on any points, and England began breaking into two
armed factions. (Trueman, 2011)
The first major battle of the English Civil War was at
Edge Hill in 1642. There was not a significant outcome from that battle,
despite both sides claiming victory. However, the following year had a string
of minor, insignificant battles that were just as worthless, at least in the
sense that neither faction dealt a serious blow to each other. This was the
year, though, that a young commander began to rise through the ranks of the
rebellion: his name was Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell was a passionate man, the son
of a lesser knight, and was little more than a yeoman himself. He was bankrupt
before 30 – twice, in fact – and if it weren't for a rich uncle dying and
leaving him some wealth, Cromwell would have never had the opportunity to be as
influential as he was in the war. He was a minor Member of Parliament, serving
in the House of Commons before the war, but once fighting broke out, he
discovered his true calling as a commander on the field. (Weatherby, 2012)
Despite never being classically trained militarily, Cromwell rapidly rose
through the ranks due to his natural tactical prowess. Within 6 months he was
promoted to cavalry commander, and in
just another year, he was appointed as commander of the New Model Army. The New
Model Army was the brainchild of Cromwell, and revolutionized the militaristic
structure. It was based solely off a soldier's ability and leadership – not on
social standing or birthright; this improved the value of the troops under
Cromwell's command, and their competence was markedly superior to the rest of
the Parliamentary Army. This, among other things, cause Charles and his nobles
to consider Cromwell barbaric and uncouth. (Weatherby, 2012)
There were only three major battles in the English Civil
War – the aforementioned Battle
at Edge Hill in 1642, the Battle of Marston Moor in 1644, and the Battle of
Naseby, 1645. In 1644, control of the north of England was wrested from Charles as
a result of the Battle of Marston Moor, where the joint armies of the Scots and
Parliament soundly trounced the Royalists. Then, in June 1645 at the Battle of
Naseby, Cromwell’s New Model Army wreaked havoc and a mortal blow to the
Charles' army. Charles was unable to recover from this crushing rout, and the
Royalist cause was lost. The king was then executed on 30 January, 1964.
(Trueman, 2011)
It would be 5 years of harsh rule under Cromwell before
another revolution took place, restoring the Stuart Monarchy under Charles II,
dubbed "The Merry Monarch". The English Civil War was not a long, or
even overly bloody war, even by the standards of the day. But it did show to
the Crown and the government of the day that the people ultimately hold the
power, regardless of how cruel or kind the ruler.
References
Alchin, L. (2009). Remember Remember the Fifth
of November Rhyme & History. Retrieved from http://www.rhymes.org.uk/remember_remember_the_5th_november.htm
Stoyle, M. (2011, February 17). BBC - History -
British History in depth: Overview: Civil War and Revolution, 1603 - 1714. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/overview_civil_war_revolution_01.shtml
Trueman, C. (2011, February 16). The English
Civil War. Retrieved from http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/civil_war_england.htm
Weatherby, E. (2012, December 13). English
Civil War | Pipe N' Slippers. Retrieved from http://pipenslippers.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/english-civil-war/
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