This document provides an overview of Oliver Cromwell and the English Civil War between King Charles I and Parliament from 1640-1648. It describes the religious and political tensions that led to war, including King Charles I's authoritarian rule and attempts to impose Anglicanism on Scotland and Puritans in England. It outlines key events of the war such as the Solemn League and Covenant between England and Scotland, Cromwell's rise as a military leader, and the New Model Army's defeats of Royalist forces. It also discusses negotiations with the King, disagreements between Presbyterians and Independents, and eventual calls for King Charles to be tried for tyranny, showing the complex religious and political forces at play

1. OLIVER
CROMWELL
AND THE
CIVIL WAR

2. THE BATTLE TO PRESERVE
OUR PROTESTANT LIBERTIES
1: POPISH TRICKS
2: THE BRITISH REPUBLICANS
3: CHRIST’S CROWN AND COVENANT
4: THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION
5: THE SASH MY FATHER WORE

3. THE BATTLE TO PRESERVE
OUR PROTESTANT LIBERTIES
Queen Elizabeth 1st – King William 3rd
1558 - 1690

4. OLIVER
CROMWELL
AND THE
CIVIL WAR

5. England’s Greatest Political Leader?

6. The Struggle for Civil and
Religious Freedom
1: The Policies of Charles 1st
2: Scotland and the National Covenant
3: The Long Parliament and the Outbreak of the Civil War
4: The Westminster Assembly
5: The Rise of Cromwell and the Defeat of Charles 1st.
6: Negotiations with the King
7: The Rump Parliament and the Execution of Charles
8: The Protectorate and the Commonwealth

7. The Struggle for Civil and
Religious Freedom
1: The Policies of Charles 1st
2: Scotland and the National Covenant
3: The Long Parliament and the Outbreak of the Civil War
4: The Westminster Assembly
5: The Rise of Cromwell and the Defeat of Charles 1st.
6: Negotiations with the King
7: The Rump Parliament and the Execution of Charles
8: The Protectorate and the Commonwealth

8. THE
CORONATION
OF CHARLES
1ST - 1625

9. THE LEGACY OF JAMES 1ST
Basilicon Doron or A Royal Gift
1:Advice to his son, Charles.
2:Asserted the Divine Right of Kings
3:He claims Presbyterianism is destructive to
the State and describes the Puritans as pests.

10. THE PURITANS
• The Reformation under Elizabeth 1st incomplete.
• Argued for simpler worship and rejected vestments.
• Anglican, Independent, Presbyterian.

11. THE MARRIAGE OF
CHARLES 1ST
• 1625.
• Henrietta Maria of France.
• Catholic daughter of Henry 4th.

12. THE PARLIAMENT OF 1628
• Puritan’s dominated.
• Oliver Cromwell returned as member for
Huntingdon.
• Cromwell’s first speech concerned the re-
establishment of Popery within the Church.

13. BLACKROD
• The King was barred.
• 3 resolutions were passed against
Arminianism in the Church; Popery in the
Church and taxing according to Tonnage

14. DISSOLUTION
• After 3 months Charles dissolved
Parliament.
• Spoke of “certain vipers” in the lower house.
• In would be 11 eleven years before
Parliament would reassemble.

15. William Laud
• Archbishop of Canterbury –
1633
• Communion Rails, Romish
Prayers, Crucifixes and
candles appeared.
• His aim was to rescue the
Church of England from the
Reformation.

16. HISTORY WAS REVISED
• Foxes Book of Martyrs was banned.
• A book was licensed which defined the
Protestant martyrs as traitors and rebels.

17. SABBATH DESECRATED
• One service per Sunday.
• Those who attended could enjoy leisure
such as dancing and archery.
• This directive was read out in parish
churches.

18. NON COMPLIANCE
•The Star Chamber and High Commission
Court.
•Bishop of Lincoln fined £10,000.
•Dr Prynne and Rev Barton were fined £500,
had their ears removed and were imprisoned
for life.
•Many Puritans followed in the footsteps of
the Mayflower Pilgrims and sailed for the
New World.

19. The Struggle for Civil and
Religious Freedom
1: The Policies of Charles 1st
2: Scotland and the National Covenant
3: The Long Parliament and the Outbreak of the Civil War
4: The Westminster Assembly
5: The Rise of Cromwell and the Defeat of Charles 1st.
6: Negotiations with the King
7: The Rump Parliament and the Execution of Charles
8: The Protectorate and the Commonwealth

20. SCOTLAND
•Laud determined to overthrow
Presbyterianism in Scotland.
•Closer ties with the Church of
England
•23rd July 1637
•A new service book introduced.

21. JANET GEDDES
•“Dost thou say Mass at my lug”
•Dean and the Bishop escaped.
•“A pope, a pope, antichrist, pull
him down.”

22. The Privy Council
• Representation had already been sent to
Charles on this issue.
• The King treated Scottish dissent with
contempt.

23. THE FOUR TABLES
• Representing the Nobles, Barons, Boroughs
and the Church.
• Unanimously decided to renew the National
Covenant of Scotland.

24. 28th February 1638

25. 1ST MARCH 1638
“…all the days of our life constantly to adhere
to and to defend the true religion…and to
labour by all means lawful to recover the
purity and liberty of the Gospel…and that
we shall defend the same, and resist all
these contrary vices and corruptions
according to our vocation…all the days of
our lives.”

26. SOLEMN OCCASION
•Signed by noble after noble.
•Thousands watched and waited in
silence.
•Some wept.
•Beginnings of 50 years of struggle and
sacrifice for the Scottish Church.

27. THE GLASGOW ASSEMBLY
• Charles was forced to call the first Assembly for 40
years, in November 1638.
• The Bishops were excommunicated, the Articles
of Perth repealed, Service Book removed.
• The King’s Commission forced to retreat in failure.

28. ALEXANDER HENDERSON
“We have now cast
down
the walls of Jericho.
Let him that
rebuildeth them
beware of the curse
of Hiel the
Bethelite.”

29. THE SHORT PARLIAMENT
13th April – 5th May 1640
• King needed money to war with Scotland.
• Parliament refused his request.

30. RAISING FUNDS
• The Church of England raised thousands.
• The Queen wrote a letter to the English
Roman Catholics.
• The Catholic Church had a vested interest in
this matter.

31. THE BISHOPS WAR
1639 - 1640
• Drilled by General Leslie the Scots had 30,000
trained soldiers.
• The English invasion was repelled on two
occasions.
• The King signed a peace treaty.
• The Church of Scotland earned 20 years rest
• The English Puritans were learning a lesson.

32. The Struggle for Civil and
Religious Freedom
1: The Policies of Charles 1st
2: Scotland and the National Covenant
3: The Long Parliament and the Outbreak of the Civil War
4: The Westminster Assembly
5: The Rise of Cromwell and the Defeat of Charles 1st.
6: Negotiations with the King
7: The Rump Parliament and the Execution of Charles
8: The Protectorate and the Commonwealth

33. THE LONG PARLIAMENT
1640 - 1648
• Charles was bankrupt after his Scottish defeat.
• This Parliament could only be dissolved by an
Act of Parliament, passed by the members.

34. THE SPIRIT OF REFORM
• Laud and Wentworth were executed.
• The Star Chamber abolished.
• Illegal taxes were abolished.

35. DISTRUST
• Irish Massacre of 1641 concentrated the
minds of the Puritans on Rome.
• Rumour that the King was preparing a
northern army to crush Parliament.
• Parliament prepared it’s own guard in
Westminster.

36. The English Civil War
Commences
• “All my birds have
flown”
• Sets up his standard
in Nottingham.
• Summons his
northern supporters
to meet him at York.
• August 1642

37. THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND
COVENANT
• Parliament and Scotland faced a common
enemy.
• Bound together by politics of independence.
• Also by the Reformed Faith.
• Entered into a covenant to stand together.

38. THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND
COVENANT

39. 25th September 1643
• St. Margarets Church, Westminster.
• The Lords and The Commons, The
Assembly of Divines.
• Covenant solemnly ratified.

40. ALEXANDER HENDERSON
“Did the Pope in Rome know what is this this
day transacting in England, and were this Covenant,
written on the plaster of the wall, over against him,
where he sitteth, Belshazzar like, in his sacrilege
pomp, it would make his heart to tremble, his countenance
to change, his head and mitre to shake, his joints to loose,
and all his cardinals and prelates to be astonished.”

41. THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND
COVENANT
• Defence of Scottish Presbyterianism.
• Promote uniformity of the churches.
• Extirpation of Popery and Prelacy.
• Preservation of Parliaments.
• Defence of a Monarchy which protected the people.
• Punishment of disturbers of the peace.
• Defence of the signatories.
• Endeavour to set a godly example among all nations.

42. The Struggle for Civil and
Religious Freedom
1: The Policies of Charles 1st
2: Scotland and the National Covenant
3: The Long Parliament and the Outbreak of the Civil War
4: The Westminster Assembly
5: The Rise of Cromwell and the Defeat of Charles 1st.
6: Negotiations with the King
7: The Rump Parliament and the Execution of Charles
8: The Protectorate and the Commonwealth

43. THE WESTMINSTER
ASSEMBLY
• The future of the Protestant Church of England
was debated.
• Laud’s reforms had caused many to question
Episcopacy.
• The Puritans believed the English Reformation was
incomplete.
• 1642 – Parliament abolished Prelacy.
• An Assembly was called to decide on the future of
the Church.

44. TERMS OF REFERENCE
“…for the settling of the government and
liturgy of the Church of England, and for
vindicating and clearing of the doctrines of
the said Church from false aspersions and
interpretations.”

45. PRODUCT
• Westminster Confession of Faith.
• Larger and Shorter Catechisms.
• Directory for Public Worship.
• Church of England adopted Presbyterianism
• 1647 – The Church of Scotland adopted the
Westminster Standards.
• Uniformity of Religion.

46. COMPOSITION
• 121 Ministers.
• 30 laymen (10 Lords and Twenty
Commoners.
• 7 Scottish Commissioners (4 Ministers and 3
Lords.
• Moderator – William Twisse.
• Representing a variety of opinions on the
subject.

47. The Struggle for Civil and
Religious Freedom
1: The Policies of Charles 1st
2: Scotland and the National Covenant
3: The Long Parliament and the Outbreak of the Civil War
4: The Westminster Assembly
5: The Rise of Cromwell and the Defeat of Charles 1st.
6: Negotiations with the King
7: The Rump Parliament and the Execution of Charles
8: The Protectorate and the Commonwealth

48. THE EARLY BATTLES
• 1ST battle – Edgehill,
Warwickshire.
• Both sides claimed
victory.
• The Royalists initially
had superiority.
• The war ebbed and
flowed across England.

49. CROMWELL’S
INTERVENTION
• Lost his son at Edgehill.
• Recognised the lack of professionalism and
youth among the Parliamentary forces.
• In the Eastern Counties raised 14 squadrons
of young men who feared God.

50. HIS DETERMINATION
“I will raise men who have the fear of
God before their eyes and who will
bring some conscience to what they
do; and I promise you they shall not
be beaten.”

51. HIS CHARACTER
• Would not associate with those who drank
and gambled.
• Passed leisure time singing Psalms with other
officers and soldiers.
• Attended to the Preaching of the Word.
• Labelled “unsociable”, “ridiculous” and
“contemptible”.

52. INFLUENCE UPON HIS
SOLDIERS
• Fines and punishment were inflicted for
swearing and for drunkeness.
• His regiment formed a “gathered church”
and called a pastor.
• In his view conviction and a fear of God
were essential in this war.

53. MARSTON MOOR – 1ST July 1644

54. MARSTON MOOR – 1ST July 1644
• 9,000 Scottish soldiers took to the field.
• 50,000 soldiers on both sides.
• The Royalists suffered a heavy defeat.
• The King’s fortunes steadily declined.

55. THE NEW MODEL ARMY
• 1645 – Parliament established a standing
army.
• Deployed anywhere in the realm.
• Veterans and Conscripts.
• Men of spiritual conviction.
• Strong discipline.
• Their support was crucial for Cromwell’s
success.

56. NASEBY – 14TH JUNE 1645

57. NASEBY – 14TH JUNE 1645
• Decisive battle.
• King’s papers revealed he had soliciting
foreign aid.
• Charles totally discredited.
• Bristol taken by Cromwell in September.
• Charles travelled from castle to castle under
cover.

58. THE KING’S SURRENDER
• 1646 – The Scottish approach.
• The Scots handed him over to the English
Parliament.
• The Scots believed that his future should be
decided by both nations.

59. The Struggle for Civil and
Religious Freedom
1: The Policies of Charles 1st
2: Scotland and the National Covenant
3: The Long Parliament and the Outbreak of the Civil War
4: The Westminster Assembly
5: The Rise of Cromwell and the Defeat of Charles 1st.
6: Negotiations with the King
7: The Rump Parliament and the Execution of Charles
8: The Protectorate and the Commonwealth

60. A DANGEROUS DIVIDE
• Parliament dominated by the Presbyterians.
• Independents dominated the Army.

61. OLIVER TO THE RESCUE
• Parliament debated disbanding the army.
• The army demanded financial compensation
• Cromwell had the task of quietening the
New Model Army.

62. THE KING’S HOPES
• More willing to deal with the Army.
• An innate distrust of Presbyterians.
• Quite content to be arrested by Colonel
Joyce on 2nd June 1647.

63. THE CRISIS
• Parliament invited the Scottish Army to
come to it’s aid.
• The Commons was invaded by a mob who
demanded that the army be stood down.

64. A POLITICAL SHIFT
• 100 members of the Commons joined the
army.
• Demanded that army quell the disturbance
in Parliament.
• The Members who supported the
disturbance were excluded.
• The Independents were now in the Majority.

65. CHARLES AND OLIVER
The King and the General

66. CROMWELL’S EARLY
ATTITUDE
“I think the King the most injured prince in the
world…May God be pleased to look upon
me according to the sincerity of my heart
toward the King…”

67. CROMWELL’S ASSESSMENT OF
THE KING AND HIS FAMILY
“…in private life he was a man
of kind feelings and of a
generous nature…”

68. THE INTERCEPTED LETTER
“I am now the man whose favour they court. I
incline rather to treat with the Scotch than with the
English army. For the rest, I alone understand my
position; be quite easy as to the concessions I may
grant; when the time comes, I shall know very well
how to treat these rogues…”

69. CHARLES’ FLIGHT
• Rumours of an assassination attempt.
• Cromwell encouraged the King to flee to France.
• At the Isle of Wight Charles could not secure a
voyage.
• Surrendered himself to the army.

70. POLITICAL FORCES
1:The Levellers
2:The Royalists
3:The Presbyterians

71. SIR THOMAS WROTH’S PROPOSAL
3rd January 1648
“Mr Speaker, Bedlam was appointed for
madmen and Tophet for Kings; but our King
of late hath carried himself as if he were fit for
no place but Bedlam; I propose we lay the
King by , and settle the Kingdom without
him.”

72. CROMWELL’S SPEECH
“Mr Speaker, the King is a man of great sense, of
great talents, but so full of dissimulation, so false,
that there is no possibility of trusting him. While
he is protesting his love for peace, he is treating
underhand with the Scottish Commissioners to
plunge the nation into another war. It is now
expected the Parliament should govern and defend the
kingdom.”

73. REMARKABLE PRAYER
GATHERING
• Early 1848
• 3 days of earnest prayer amd seeking of
God.
• “He led us to see not only our sin but also
our duty…none was hardly even to speak a
word..for bitter weeping… And yet we were
also helped to rejoice in the Lord.”

74. SIGNIFICANT RESOLUTION
“It is our duty to call Charles Stuart, that man
of blood, to an account for that blood he had
shed, and mischief he had done to his utmost
against the Lord’s cause and people in these
poor nations.”

75. SPRING 1848
THE 2ND CIVIL WAR
• The Scots raised 40,000 soldiers to defend the
King.
• Royalists armies arose throughout England and
Wales.
• In two weeks Cromwell had quelled the rebellion
and had marched into Edinburgh.

76. The Struggle for Civil and
Religious Freedom
1: The Policies of Charles 1st
2: Scotland and the National Covenant
3: The Long Parliament and the Outbreak of the Civil War
4: The Westminster Assembly
5: The Rise of Cromwell and the Defeat of Charles 1st.
6: Negotiations with the King
7: The Rump Parliament and the Execution of Charles
8: The Protectorate and the Commonwealth

77. RE-OPENED
NEGOTIATIONS
• Parliament Commissioners to negotiate with
the King.
• Parliament accepted the King’s terms.
• The King returned to his Castle at Windsor.

78. PRIDE’S PURGE
4TH December 1648
• 2 Regiments posted outside Parliament,
• 41 of members were barred from entering.
• When Cromwell returned from Scotland he
found a new Parliament sitting
The Rump Parliament

79. A NEW RESOLUTION
• To summon the King on a charge of High
Treason.
• Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Church of
Scotland, Foreign Princes, Ambassadors
attempted to intervene.

80. THE HIGH COURT OF
JUSTICE
• Body created for trying a Sovereign.
• 135 Commissioners with a Lord President.
• 20th January 1649 – the King was brought to
the bar.

81. THE DEATH WARRANT

82. EXECUTION
30TH January 1649
The idea of an all powerful monarch
was destroyed forever

83. THE CRIMES OF CHARLES
1ST
• Negotiating an army of Irish, Scottish and
Welsh soldiers.
• Sought an army of foreign European fighters.
• Investigating the financing of the European
army from the Pope.

84. SPIRTUAL DANGER OF
CHARLES 1ST
• Sought a middle path between Romanism
and Protestantism.
• Had he lived and reigned the Reformation
Settlement would have been reversed.

85. HIS EXECUTION NOT A
PERSONAL ISSUE
• £1,000 assigned to the King’s children
remaining in England.
• Allowed an honourable funeral and buried at
Windsor.

86. The Struggle for Civil and
Religious Freedom
1: The Policies of Charles 1st
2: Scotland and the National Covenant
3: The Long Parliament and the Outbreak of the Civil War
4: The Westminster Assembly
5: The Rise of Cromwell and the Defeat of Charles 1st.
6: Negotiations with the King
7: The Rump Parliament and the Execution of Charles
8: The Protectorate and the Commonwealth

87. THE LORD PROTECTOR

88. A NEW NATION
•Council of State
•Parliament of Saints
•Lord Protector

89. UNIFYING THE NATION
• Irish Catholic rebellion was crushed.
• Scottish opposition to the English Parliament
quelled.

90. THE PROTECTORATE
• Establishment of the Commonwealth and
the Free State.
• Brought much order to a disordered nation.

91. ACHIEVEMENTS
• Supreme Commission ; approval of preachers.
• Promoted Religious Liberty for the Jews.
• Moral purity in the army and the court.
• Raised £40,000 to support the persecuted Italian
Protestants.
• Negotiated freedom for Protestants living in
European nations.

92. “…for the peoples’ good
not what pleases them”
• Sunday sports banned.
• Dancing around the Maypole banned.
• Swearing banned.
• Children under 12 caught swearing whipped.
• Fornicators imprisoned.
• Adulterers executed.

93. HIS AMBITION
“We have two blessings; Peace and the
Gospel. Let us have one heart and one soul;
one mind to maintain the honest and just
rights of this nation…While I live and am
able, I shall be ready to stand and fall with
you…”

94. THE RESTORATION
• 1658 – Cromwell dies.
• 1660 – Charles 2nd Crowned.

95. LEGACY
Parliament
Discipline
Leadership
Freedom
Faith
Courage
Godliness
Patriotism