The Civil War: The War of the Three Kingdoms 1638-1660 (Paperback)

See inside

Format:	Paperback 912 pages

Available to order

Usually despatched in 3-5 days

RRP £15.99

£12.79

You save: £3.20

Delivered FREE
in the UK

Add to wish list

More info
Bookseller reviews
Customer reviews
More images

One late summer's day in 1642 two rival armies faced each other across the rolling Warwickshire countryside at Edgehill. There, Royalists faithful to King Charles I engaged in a battle with the supporters of the Parliament. Ahead lay even more desperate battles like Marston Moor and Naseby. The fighting was also to rage through Scotland and Ireland, notably at the siege of Drogheda and the decisive battle of Dunbar. Few periods in English history are more significant than that to which acclaimed author Trevor Royle turns his attention in CIVIL WAR. From his shrewd analyses of the characters who played their parts in the wars to his brilliantly concise descriptions of battles, Trevor Royle has produced a vivid and dramatic narrative of those turbulent years. His book also reveals how the new ideas and dispensations that followed from the wars - Cromwell's Protectorate, the Restoration of Charles II and the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1689 - made it possible for England, Ireland and Scotland to progress towards their own more distant future as democratic societies.

Book details

Published
20/01/2005

Publisher
Abacus

ISBN
9780349115641

Publisher and industry reviews

Jacket review

* 'Superb narrative history ... Magnificent' Indy on S. * 'Has many virtues ... we gallop the length and breadth of the British Isles, careering from skirmish to battle with the narrative elan of a cavalry charge ... this narrative is vividly painted and masterly' S. Times ** 'Graphic, ably controlled ... the power of imaginative storytelling is Royle's endeavour' Guardian

UK Kirkus review

This paperback edition of military historian Trevor Royle's history of the Civil War is a fascinating in-depth analysis of a conflict that shook three kingdoms. What is usually known as the English Civil War in fact affected Scotland and Ireland just as profoundly. Royle's detailed narrative traces the complex interaction between the three kingdoms, and between the conflicting factions in each country. He shows that, far from being a simple clash between King Charles I and the English parliament, the wars were fought over a whole range of issues, including religion, politics, and nationality, with alliances of convenience formed and broken, and commanders switching sides. This often complicated story is told with verve and an eye for detail by Royle, who explains the issues and brings the main players to life. This book will be enjoyed by specialists and the general reader alike. (Kirkus UK)