A Short History of the English Revolution and the Civil Wars - (Short Histories) by David J Appleby (Hardcover)

About the Book

This book delivers an accessible history of the English revolution and Civil Wars, focusing on the effects of this conflict across England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, and analyses key players and events.

Book Synopsis

James I and VI bequeathed his son a reasonably peaceful land in 1625, yet over a decade later, Charles I's kingdoms erupted one by one into open rebellion- this book explores how this came to be.

David J. Appleby explains how interconnected conflicts arose in the three kingdoms, and how they gave rise to a revolution which swept away the institution of monarchy and the House of Lords. This book shows how the embryonic English republic's need to counter domestic resistance and international threats caused the fighting to spread to the Channel Islands, the Caribbean and the American colonies. Combining his expertise of the Stuart monarchy and post-conflict culture with a fresh and accessible tone, Appleby unravels why the memory of this conflict remains culturally and politically relevant and hotly contested to this day.

Review Quotes

An authoritative and lively narrative account of England's civil wars of the seventeenth century. Appleby demonstrates his mastery of the military history and a due sensitivity to the horrors of war. An excellent introduction for students.
Tim Harris, Wilkinson Professor of European History, Brown University, USA

Here we have an assured and engaging overview of tumultuous times with an impact far beyond England. Dr Appleby's relatively short book is remarkably capacious in both the themes and places covered. A vivid narrative of political and military events is combined with astute analysis of the social, cultural and religious contexts inhabited by seventeenth century people. Upheavals in Barbados, and atrocities in Drogheda have their place alongside religious dispute and political agitation in the streets of London, as well as in parliament or the court of Charles I. Throughout David Appleby reminds us of the suffering and resilience of the humbler women and men who experienced most starkly the brutal realities of a bitter civil war. This is both an ideal introduction and a book in which informed readers will find much to ponder.
Ann Hughes, Emerita Professor of Early Modern History, Keele University, UK

About the Author

David J. Appleby was formerly Lecturer in Early Modern British History at the University of Nottingham, and was made an Honorary Research Fellow on his retirement from university teaching in 2023. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a prize-winning author and podcaster.