Charles I

Charles enters the Commons but finds the accused members have escaped.

Charles travels from York to demand entry to Hull and its military magazine.

Hotham refuses Charles entry to Hull under Parliament's instructions.

Charles issues commissions authorising supporters to muster county forces.

Charles authorises supporters to muster county forces through commissions of array.

Most of the fleet rejects royal orders and accepts Parliament's admiral.

Charles directs an unsuccessful attempt to force Hull's Parliamentarian garrison to submit.

Charles abandons the Hull siege after flooding and strong resistance frustrate the Royalists.

Charles dismisses parliamentary commissioners during renewed disputes over Hull.

Charles declares leading parliamentary opponents traitors and calls for their suppression.

Charles raises the Royal Standard at Nottingham and summons supporters to arms.

Charles arrives at Nottingham and begins formally assembling the Royalist army.

Charles raises his standard and formally summons supporters against Parliament.

Coventry refuses Charles entry and denies the Royalists access to the fortified city.

Parliament demands that Charles lower his standard and withdraw treason accusations.

After failing to secure Coventry, Charles offers negotiations while continuing mobilisation.

The Royal Standard is raised again after the original standard collapses in bad weather.

Charles's Royalist cavalry defeats Parliament's advance guard at Powick Bridge.

Charles establishes a recruiting centre at Shrewsbury and draws support from Wales.

Parliamentarian forces briefly occupy Oxford before the Royalist field army returns.

Charles gathers recruits, money and equipment before marching eastward.

Charles reaches Edgecote while seeking the Parliamentarian army before Edgehill.

The Royalist council plans to secure Banbury and Oxford before advancing farther.

Charles and his commanders plan the approach to Banbury and Oxford.

Charles fights the inconclusive Battle of Edgehill and continues his advance toward London.

Charles remains with the Royalist centre during the inconclusive battle.

Charles's army takes Banbury while advancing toward Oxford and London.

The Royalist army secures Banbury during its march after Edgehill.

Charles enters Oxford and develops the city as the principal Royalist headquarters.

Charles enters Oxford and begins establishing the city as his wartime headquarters.

Charles prepares the Royalist army to advance from Oxford toward London.

Charles gathers recruits and cavalry support before marching toward the Midlands.

The Royalist army begins moving toward the capital after Edgehill.

Charles reaches Reading while advancing toward London after Edgehill.

Charles reaches Reading while Parliamentarian forces reorganise nearer London.

Charles orders Royalist troops to attack Parliament's outpost at Brentford.

Charles confronts a larger Parliamentarian army and withdraws from Turnham Green.

Rejects proposals drawn up by the Lords & Parliament after the Battle of Edgehill

Fails to capture Gloucester

Signs a truce with the Irish rebels to free his troops for service in England

Charles fights Essex's army at the inconclusive First Battle of Newbury.

The Royalist Reading garrison is handed over to the Roundheads

Leicester is sacked by Charles I & Prince Rupert

Montrose expels the Covenentors from Aberdeen

The Battle of Aberdeen is fought between Royalist & Covenanter forces

Montrose expels the Covenentors from Aberdeen

The new Parliament includes 100 members of the Commons & 30 peers. Opens his own Parliament in Christ Church Hall

Royalist defeat near York which loses Charles stronghold in the nth. 4,000 Royalists are killed & 1,500 taken prisoner

Parliament captures York

Parliament captures York

The Royalists defeat Essex & capture 8,000 infantry. After their victory the Royalists are in a position to march on London

After victory at Lostwithiel the Royalists are in a position to march on London

With 10,000 men faces Cromwell with 22,000. The Battle is inconclusive & Charles retreats to Oxford. Manages to avoid capture & defeat, returns to Donnington Castle

Charles I escapes after the Second Battle of Newbury despite Parliamentarian attempts to trap his army.

Captures Donnington Castle north west of Newbury

Withdraws his troops from Ireland & recruits Irish reinforcements. Makes peace with the Irish Confederation

Makes peace with the Irish Confederation

Signs a brief truce but breaks it when he refuses to accede to Parliaments terms

Signs a brief truce but breaks it when he refuses to accede to Parliaments terms

Charles I surrenders to the Scots rather than to Parliament. Charles final field force is crushed

Charles I surrenders to the Scots rather than to Parliament

A modified Self-Denying Ordinance is passed by the Lords

Leaves to Royalist stronghold of Oxford to negotiate with the Scots

Reaches Droitwich & leaves it 14th May

Reaches Market Drayton & recieves news that Brereton has raised the siege of Chester

Charles decides to send Goring south west while he & Rupert head nth

Charles I sacks Leicester, followed by his defeat at Naseby. Charels I captures Leicester waiting for Goring & Gerard to join forces with him

With the help of Prince Rupert captures & sacks Leicester

Charles reaches Daventry where he learns that Oxford is no longer under siege

Stands on high ground on East Farndon over Great Oxendon, 2 miles south of Harborough

Charles avoids Battle by marching from Borough Hill to Belvoit Castle

The 1st Civil War lingers for another year until capitulation at Oxford 1 year later. Decisive victory for Parliamentary forces

Calls a Council of War & decides to fight against Fairfax south of Market Harborough

Cromwell prevents Charles joining forces with Prince Maurice & Prince Rupert

Charles writes to his Queen that he has not enough forces to resist or escape. All that remains are garrisons in Oxford, Newark, Pendennis, Exeter & Raglan

Will disband his forces if he can live as a King & have a few friends in service. Offers peace to the Independents

Leaves Oxford to surrender himself to the Scots at Newark

Departs from Oxford in disguise

Charless supporters believe he is heading for London but he surrenders to the Scots

Slips out of Oxford in disguise

Surrenders to the Scots at Newark after defeat at Stowe-on-the-Wold

Newark is surrendered to the Scots

Montrose receives a letter from Charles I asking him to withdraw from Scotland

Charles surrenders to the Scots

Oxford is surrendered to Parliament, only Pendennis, Raglan & Harlech remain

Raglan is surrendered to Parliament, ends military operations of the 1st civil war

Rejects the Newcastle Proposals to take the Covenant & Parliament control the militia

Parliament pays a 400,000 pounds ransom to Charles Scottish captors

Makes the Earl of Glamorgan Duke of Somerset

Sends Montreuil to Newark to prepare the Scots for his reception

The French send Montreuil to Scotland to negotiate peace with the Covenanters

The French send Montreuil to Scotland to negotiate peace with the Covenanters

Princess Henrietta is surrendered to Parliament

John Berkley surrenders & surrenders Princes Henrietta to Parliament. John Berkley surrenders & ends the war in the west

Taken prisoner by the Army from Holmby House in Northamptonshire

Hosted by the Governor of Carisbrooke Castle

Escapes to the Isle of Wight

The Scots promise to restore Charles if he restores Presbyterianism. Signs a secret Treaty at the Isle of Wight with the Scots. Promises to impose Presbyterianism for 3 yrs to gain Scottish support

Parliament renounces its allegiance to the King

Promises to impose Presbyterianism for 3 yrs to gain Scottish military support

Offers to repeal all the penal laws if the Vatican assists him to victory

Offers a seperate peace with the Independents in Parliament but they do not respond

Following his Treaty with the Scots Parliament renounces allegiance to Charles I

Following his Treaty with the Scots Parliament renounces allegiance to Charles I

The Army siezes Charles I

The "Rump Parliament" of 60 members votes that Charles be brought to trial

In the wake of the ejections from the Long Parliament, the remnant, the Rump Parliament, arranges for the trial and execution of Charles I

In the wake of the ejections from the Long Parliament, the remnant, the Rump Parliament, arranges for the trial and execution of Charles I

Charles I goes on trial for treason

Charles I goes on trial for treason

Charles I goes on trial, he refuses to plead

Sentenced to death as a "tyrant, traitor & murderer"

Death of Charles I

Executed in front of the Whitehall Banqueting House; Charles II is proclaimed king in Scotland after the execution