1643

• Year of Royalist success – 3 pronged attack on London, Newcastle in North Hopton in the South-West
• Year of Parliament disarray – Military defeats, desertions, deaths (Pym and Hampden)
• Siege of Gloucester: August –September. Relieved by Essex and army of 15,000
• Strategically significant to Parliament - A major city which would prevent a Royalist power block
• King failed to cut off Essex’s retreat to London, despite an army twice the size. Parliament won first Battle of Newbury
• Survival of Gloucester – seen as a turning point as it was an example of a tactical blunder (decided to siege it rather than attack)
• Parliament began to become stronger – gained motivation to reshape itself, organise its resources and build a professional army
• Scotland joined in war after alliance with Parliament –Solemn League and Covenant
• 21,000 Scottish troops entered war