The War
While not the true focus of the subject, the wars are also important to understand, and looking at the multiple aspects of politics, religion, and philosophy. To sum things up quickly, the factions would be the Royalists, mostly in Northern and Western England and Ireland, the Scots Covenanters from Scotland, and the Parliamentarians from Mid to Eastern England. Each side would push for its own unique gains, that each shared important values. For the Royalists they agreed with Charles I push for divine right, while he was pompous and demanding he was also the king. To them Parliament had the right to debate but in the end submit to the King, and by forcing conditions they had acted out of hand. The Scots Covenanters saw themselves as a misrepresented group that looked to push for religious recognition and tolerance. Seen as the junior partner of union, and less civilized then their English counterparts, the Covenanters saw opportunity to push their faith on England. The Parliamentarians where defending their interests in politics, while not directly against their king they saw his actions as unjust. Some Parliamentarians even went as far as believing their king was misguided by Royalist advisors, and the wars where to save him. While both Parliament and Royalists where seemingly willing to understand the others view, war would begin and Parliament would accept Scots to bolster their forces.
As stated before, the Scots would ally the English Parliamentarians during the first English Civil War, and for would help aid in defeating them at Martson Moor. However, due to incursions of an Irish-Highlander Royalist force in the north of Scotland, the Scots would fight conservatively. Parliament, now with a newcomer in Oliver Cromwell would look to establish their own English fighting force, instead of relying on the Scots. This would lead the creation to the New Model Army, a better organized and disciplined force. The superiority of the forces allowed Parliament to not rely on Scottish assistance, and instead engage the Royalists themselves. However, due to the new administration and the skill of Royalists officers, the war would drag on at a snails pace. Charles would be slowly defeated by Parliamentary forces and in turn surrender in Scotland to the Scots, who would quickly turn him over to Parliament. While upset with Charles' actions, there was enormous difficulty in pinning him to
This hesitation would lead to a second conflict, Charles would exploit English parliamentary distraction by negotiating with the Scots, offering better terms for Presbyterianism movements in England. While not unanimously supported, many in Scotland felt that Parliament would not keep its word, and in turn formed the Engagers, who would support Charles in a Second English Civil War. While well supported the Scottish Engagers would quickly be defeated by a more competent Oliver Cromwell and Charles would be retaken. Unlike before, the New Model Army had been forcibly changing parliament to suit more radical ideology under the Pride's Purge (from the officer Thomas Pride). This much smaller parliament, better known as Rump Parliament, would vote in favour of Charles execution, albeit at much debate. This would leave enormous complications, as executing a monarch was not only unheard of, but had incredible implications on law, as technically the King was above this.
Nevertheless, England would sit in a complicated state of affairs with Cromwell as its head, where there was a refusal to declare themselves a republic, but lacking a monarch. In Scotland, the crown would be taken by Charles I's son, Charles II and the Scots would continue to push for better rights of Presbyterianism. This would begin a Third English Civil War which would lead to a Cromwellian invasion of Scotland, with the NMA soundly defeating the Scots. Charles II would escape however, and unlike in Ireland which saw enormous punishment Cromwell would leave Scotland comparatively untouched. While this would conclude the conflict as a whole, both during the conflict and after an enormous amount of constitutional debate would be seen.
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