by Dave Franklin

Created on: April 25, 2007   Last Updated: May 16, 2007

Like most major civil conflicts the causes of the English Civil War are much more complex than might appear on the surface. Whereas previous civil strife, such as The Wars Of the Roses, have been largely the result of baronial power mongering, the series of wars that took place in England between 1642 and 1651 were the result of and had a massive impact on the common populace. In the same way that the American Civil War, some two centuries later, is erroneously viewed as being largely about the issue of slavery, there is much more to England's conflict than governmental control between Parliament and the King.

England was undergoing massive change socially in the early seventeenth century, the old feudal system of clearly defined social structures was changing, people were taking control of their own livelihoods, the power of the gentry was in decline and in the dawn of this growing new industrial age a new section of society was emerging. The middle class was made up of businessmen, artisans and merchants who owed no allegiance to a higher social power, these people as hinted at by the exploits of Wat Tyler as far back as the late fourteenth century, wanted more control and security over their future and an all controlling and unaccountable monarchy to them seemed an institution that should be assigned to the past.

Religion played a big part in the melting pot of problems that faced the country. With the rise of Protestantism in Tudor period, the conflicts between this new power and the established Catholic Church had ripped the country apart. By the reign of Charles I, England had become a predominantly protestant country, at least on the surface but Charles ability to easily court favour with the power of Rome was always seen as a worry and the re-establishment of Catholicism was always a spectre that loomed frighteningly over England. It has to be remembered that it was only during his father's reign that Catholic terrorists had come close to destroying the seat of power. Even within the protestant set up all was not well, various break away groups were challenging the establishment over the choosing their own ways of worship, even to the point of far right puritanical groups suggesting that Bishops, churches and even the bible itself were not essential. This was also the ago during which these groups had become so disillusioned with the status quo that many left for the new world and its opportunities.

The king's attitude towards the power share between himself and parliament was also becoming a problem. For a number of years Charles even thought that he was better off ruling without the elected representatives of the house and dismissed them. This was seen as an act of despotism and a move back towards the feudal days of a past age. It was only when the coffers ran dry that parliament was reinstated.

A new weapon, the printing press, fuelled these major issues of social and religious change on. In former ages the written word was controlled by the church but with the invention of the press and the increase in literacy, anti-establishment ideas suddenly found a voice and more importantly a keen audience. Pamphlet printing became a big business and radical ideas now roamed freely outside the control of the higher powers.

It was then inevitable that early in the 1640's Charles found his control on the country slipping and by 1642 he had to flee his own capital of London. Disharmony turned to open shows of power and before long Charles had declared war on his own government and war was forthcoming.

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