Chapter 14: Republic: Scotland, Ireland, Worcester

• When did the Rump vote to abolish monarchy?

  February 1649
• 2nd January 1650: the Rump pass the Engagement Act - all adult males had to declare loyalty to the Commonwealth. (Impossible to enforce in practice). 
• 2nd July 1650: reinforced Engagement Act with a treason act —> it was made illegal to deny the authority of the regime as vested in the Commons. 
• Who was the leader of the Scottish Covenanters?

  Argyll
• What did Argyll declare after Charles I's execution?

  Declared his son, Charles Stuart, Charles II of Scotland
• Why was a Scottish invasion imminent?

  Charles arrived in Scotland, from the Hague, with a military in tow.
• Why did the Rump try to strike first?

  Argyll had convinced Charles to accept the Covenant in return for military aid to invade England. 
• Why did Fairfax refuse to lead the invasion?

  he had been increasingly concerned about the radicalisation of the army and had stood aloof from the developments that had led to the regicide. 
• Who replaced Fairfax?


  Cromwell
• Who was the leader of the Scottish forces?


  David Leslie
• • September 1650: Cromwell’s force had decreased from 16,300 to 11,000
  • retreated to Dunbar and planned to retreat to England.
• Scottish army was twice the size of the English.
• What did Thomas Harrison do in London?

  He led the London radicals in prayer for what appeared to be the hopeless position into which Cromwell had led his forces. 
• What happened at the Battle of Dunbar (3rd September 1650)?

  Cromwell defeated the Scottish army; 3000 Scots killed and 10,000 captured. 
• How did Cromwell view his victory at Dunbar?

  As 'the hand of God'
• Why did Cromwell win the Battle of Dunbar?

  Leslie’s strategic mistakes and a surprise attack by the English. 
• What factors influenced the New Model Army's victory at Dunbar?

  • Religious motivation
  • English sea power = ensured supplies
  • England’s stronger economy = army was better funded
• • 1651: Lambert attacked the main Scottish army at Inverkeithing; killed 2000 Scots and took 1400 prisoner.
  • Cromwell established English control in Perth.
• Charles’ path: Best of the NMA was behind his force, meaning entry to England was open but he would be unable to retreat back into Scotland easily. 
• August 1649: Cromwell landed with 10,000 parliamentary troops to impose English Protestant control.
• Cromwell's aim in Ireland


  Wanted to punish the Catholics for their 1641 rebellion + financially exploit it for the new regime. 
• What were the most infamous sieges of Cromwell's Irish Campaign?

  Drogheda and Wexford
• Historian David Farr on Cromwell's Irish Campaign

  “essentially a series of bloody sieges of Irish Catholic strongholds to break the back of their ability to resist”. 
• May 1650: Cromwell left for England, leaving his son-in-law Henry Ireton to further impose English control on Ireland through commanding an army of occupation that remained in the country until 1660.
• How many troops did Cromwell have from Scotland?

  20,000
• What was Charles (II)'s aim?

  secure the English throne, which required him to secure London
• Charles (II)'s other aim

  An invasion of England would allow Charles to escape the influence of Presbyterian leaders in Scotland who he thought wanted to control him. 
• Why did Charles think an invasion of England would be successful?

  There was general disillusionment with the republican regime across a range of the population in England.
• Problems faced by Charles' forces

  • Desertions meant that only 13,000 troops crossed the border.
  • The army of Scots attracted little support from the English.
  • Leslie, the Scottish general, appeared uncommitted to the invasion
  • A rising in Norfolk in December 1650 was quickly suppressed.
  • Charles secured no foreign aid for his invasion.
• Charles faced 4000 troops led by Harrison and Lamber upon crossing the border
• • Battle of Worcester: Charles’ troops refused to move from there, making the Royalists heavily outnumbered.
  • Long and bitter struggle that only ended when Charles fled for the Continent, abandoning his troops.
  • 3000 Royalists dead compared to the NMA’s 200.
• What was the significance of the campaigns in Scotland, Ireland, and against Charles?

  While the Rump was saved in the short term, the consolidation of Cromwell as the dominant figure of the age occurred.