1642 August 22 English Civil War Begins

Unlike most of the great European nations, England has never had a Revolution, certainly nothing to rival France in the late 18th Century, or the events of the early 20th Century which saw incredible regime change in Russia, Spain and Germany. But in August 1642, King Charles I set in motion a chain of events that would lead to a 9-year Civil War and the abolition of the monarchy. This seismic event is not regarded by historians as a Revolution, mainly because the monarchy was restored after only a decade, but it did nevertheless change forever how the country is governed and some see the events as eventual inspiration for the storming of the Bastille almost 150 years later. Certainly, both conflicts are notable for the execution of the ruling monarch.

In 1642, the English Parliament was largely an advisory body, summoned and dismissed at the whims of the ruling monarch. Charles ruled without any recourse to Parliament between 1628 and 1639, only recalling them to authorise new taxes to pay for expensive wars in Scotland. This recalled Parliament, however, was increasingly critical of the King over fiscal and military matters and in the January of 1642, Charles had attempted to have John Pym, his most prominent critic, arrested, along with 4 others, for treason. The attempt failed and Parliament protected the "traitors". This stand-off polarised national opinion and the King fled London for the north, such was the growing threat to his personal safety.

As the year progressed, cities and towns quickly proclaimed their allegiance to one side or the other and as summer arrived, tensions rose. Skirmishes in, amongst other places, Hull and Manchester, led to Charles arriving in Nottingham on 22nd August with 2,000 men and raising his standard, effectively a call to arms and an act of war. The Parliamentarians too had been busy amassing an army and by September, both sides numbered tens of thousands.

Two years later, the Parliamentarians won the famous Battle of Marston Moor, giving them control of the north of England, a turning point in the Civil War and the beginning of the ascendancy of Oliver Cromwell. The conflict dragged on until 1646 when the Parliamentarians finally captured Charles but his actions while in captivity, particularly making a deal with the Scots who promised to invade England and restore him to the throne, led to a second Civil War, again won by Parliament. Charles was put on trial for his betrayal, found guilty of high treason and beheaded at the Palace of Whitehall on 30th January 1649. 

Although the monarchy was restored 11 years later, England was forever changed. When Charles' son Charles II was crowned on 23rd April 1661, it was only with the consent of Parliament and the nation was now decidedly a Parliamentary Monarchy. This form of government is still in place in the United Kingdom today and the Civil War which began on this day in 1642 remains the last major challenge to the monarchy from within England.