What was the Battle of Edgehill

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A.� A decisive moment in English history. The day that the monarch's right was challenged. The Battle of Edgehill was the first major clash of armies of the English Civil War. It ended in a draw with relatively few casualties, but it set the stage for a terrible conflict.< xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

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Q.� How so

A.� Parliament was getting the upper hand. Charles I was trying to assert his authority while Parliament dictated policy. There was also a clash of religions. The mainly Protestant and Puritan Parliament suspected Charles of Catholic sympathies. Charles, frustrated with a Commons that often obstructed his policies, attempted to arrest several Parliamentary officials in 1641.

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Q.� Did that work

A.� No. Charles then quickly left London and began rallying troops and political allies. He realised he was losing his power and kingdom - and would need to used force to regain both. By late 1642, both the King and Parliament had gathered armies.

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Q.� And then they went into battle

A.� Yes. The King's forces marched from Shrewsbury on London in hopes of retaking the capital. The Parliamentary commander, the Earl of Essex, accompanied by Oliver Cromwell, marched out to meet him. They met near Edgehill in Warwickshire, a few miles from Banbury.

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Q.� Evenly matched

A.� Both sides were about 14,500 men. The royal cavalry under Prince Rupert and Lord Wilmot pushed back the wings of the Parliamentary army, but the royal troops in the centre were badly mauled. After three hours of hard fighting, neither side was able to make headway, and they broke off as darkness descended.

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Q.� So it was a draw

A.� Not quite. Essex considered his army too badly injured to resume the battle next day, and he withdrew his men to Warwick. This left the road to London open to the king's army. In that sense, Charles was the victor. However, Charles did not take advantage of his opportunity and by the time his troops reached Reading, Essex had retaken London and a gained reinforcements to protect the capital from further royalist advance.

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Q.� Any contemporary reports

A.� Yes. Biased, but an interesting one 'printed by his Majesty's Command at Oxford by Leonard Lichfield'. It says of the battle's last stages: 'This sudden returning back of the Rebels to Warwick, is not only a sure Argument of the weakness of their Army, but hath exceedingly disheartned all the Country which adhered to them, and were before (upon a false Rumor that the King's Forces were defeated) ready to have risen and fall'n upon his Majesty's� Forces.'

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Some of the Parliamentarian army holed up at Banbury. Litchfield's report adds: 'His Majesty the next Day drew out part of his Army, with some Ordnance, against the said Town; upon the approach of which the Rebels Forces (being the Earl of Peterborough's Regiment which were in the Town, to the number of 600) came out, laid down their Arms, and asked his Majesty Pardon; and immediately the Town was rendred up. Upon which his Majesty sent out some of his Principal Officers to discover, and bring away, all such Arms and Ammunition as were found in the Town, and to take up, upon Tickets, all Woollen Cloth, Stockens, Shoes and Victuals, for the Accommodation of his Soldiers, forbidding all manner of Plundering, and permitting only one Regiment to entre and remain in the Town that Night.'

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But even propaganda could not save Charles. The monarchy was about to end.

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By Steve Cunningham