1645 14th June
Battle of Naseby
Commands a Parliamentary regiment in a victory over the Royalists
English Civil War · permanent subject timeline
Pride's Purge
The army intervention that removed MPs opposed to the trial of Charles I. This page combines historical context with 15 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database English Civil War archive.
Historical context
Pride's Purge: overview and significance
What happened?
In December 1648 troops commanded by Thomas Pride excluded or detained MPs who favoured continued negotiation with Charles I. The reduced Commons became known as the Rump Parliament.
Why was it important?
Pride's Purge cleared the political path toward the king's trial and execution and marked an extraordinary direct intervention by the army in parliamentary politics.
World History Database records
Pride's Purge timeline
The records below are selected from the 1,090-record English Civil War archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1645
1648
1648 19th August
Battle of Preston
The Scots are driven off by a charge of pikemen under Colonels Thomas Pride and Richard Dean
1648 19th August
Battle of Preston
The Scots are driven off by a charge of pikemen under Colonels Thomas Pride and Richard Dean
1648 6th December
Arrest of Members of Parliament
Pride's troops arrest dozens of MPs during the purge that leaves the reduced House later known as the Rump Parliament.
1648 6th December
Long Parliament
Divisions emerge culminating in Prides Purge when, under the orders of Oliver Cromwell's son-in-law Henry Ireton, Colonel Pride physically bars about half of the members of Parliament from taking their seats
1648 6th December
Long Parliament
Divisions emerge culminating in Prides Purge when, under the orders of Oliver Cromwell's son-in-law Henry Ireton, Colonel Pride physically bars about half of the members of Parliament from taking their seats
1648 6th December
Parliament
Opposes Colonel Thomas Prides purge of Parliament
1648 6th December
Pride's Purge
Pride stations soldiers outside the Commons and begins excluding members considered likely to continue negotiations with Charles I.
1648 6th December
Prides Purge
Divisions emerge culminating in Prides Purge when, under the orders of Oliver Cromwell's son-in-law Henry Ireton, Colonel Pride physically bars about half of the members of Parliament from taking their seats
1648 6th December
Prides Purge
Divisions emerge culminating in Prides Purge when, under the orders of Oliver Cromwell's son-in-law Henry Ireton, Colonel Pride physically bars about half of the members of Parliament from taking their seats
1649
1649 29th January
Signing of Death Warrant
Pride signs the death warrant for Charles I after the High Court reaches its judgment against the King.
1649 January
High Court of Justice
Pride is appointed among the commissioners of the High Court established to try Charles I for high treason.
1649
Death Warrant
Signs Charles Is death warrant
1650
1650 3rd September
Battle of Dunbar
Commands a brigade of Foot
1651
1651 3rd September
Battle of Worcester
Pride takes part in Cromwell's Parliamentarian victory at Worcester after previously commanding a brigade during the Scottish campaign.
Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database.
Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database English Civil War records.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
English Heritage · National Army Museum · UK Parliament · Cromwell Museum
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