The English Civil Wars

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What to expect

A brilliant appraisal of the Civil War and its long-term consequences, by an acclaimed historian.

The political upheaval of the mid-seventeenth century has no parallel in English history. Other events have changed the occupancy and the powers of the throne, but the conflict of 1640-60 was more dramatic: the monarchy and the House of Lords were abolished, to be replaced by a republic and military rule.

In this wonderfully readable account, Blair Worden explores the events of this period and their origins - the war between King and Parliament, the execution of Charles I, Cromwell's rule and the Restoration - while aiming to reveal something more elusive: the motivations of contemporaries on both sides and the concerns of later generations.

Critics Review

  • Worden is a spellbinding writer … he skewers the myriad shifting issues with precision, his every sentence commanding respect for his measured judgment and the marvellous suppleness of his language

    DAILY EXPRESS

  • It is hard to imagine a better introduction to the subject

    HISTORY TODAY

  • Straightforward, stimulating and a joy to read … It makes you want to know more

    LITERARY REVIEW

  • As an introduction to the English civil wars, Worden’s book is peerless. Brief, though it is, it is a work of exceptionally large achievement

    THE SPECTATOR

  • An exemplary piece of popular history… opening up perhaps the most important national story to the nation, passionately retold yet unadorned … If you want to be informed about that unfortunate period of English history, Blair Worden’s crisp 160-pager may well be the best place to start

    SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

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