London's mobilisation proved crucial to parliament's success in the English Civil War. Through a rigorous investigation of archival and print sources, this book shows how and why the City aligned its interests with parliament and how, ultimately, this alignment led to the establishment of an army that would defeat the king of England.

A history of London during the English Civil Wars, including a guide to sites today.

The Civil War years of the 1640s were amongst the most tumultuous in British history. The conflict between King Charles I and Parliament strained and split the social fabric of the British Isles. People of all classes who had previously coexisted peacefully found themselves opposing each other on political, religious, and economic grounds. Society was literally 'by the sword divided'.Much has been written on the subject to date. This book is different. London is its focus, with key players such as the Lord Mayor, the livery companies, the Church, and citizens, viewed through the city's lens and the streets around St Paul's and Cheapside. In looking at seemingly everyday events, unusual questions are raised: for example, where can you find a little known statue of Oliver Cromwell; what happened to the Cheapside Cross; who was Nemehiah Wallington and why was he important?The result of a London walk devised by the author, the books learned yet accessible approach will appeal to anyone interested in a new way of looking at a popular event in history. Bookended by the death of a Tudor queen and the beheading of a Stuart king, its chapters walk us through what happened in-between.

When the English Civil War broke out, London’s economy was diverse and dynamic, closely connected through commercial networks with the rest of England and with Europe, Asia and North America. As such it was uniquely vulnerable to hostile acts by supporters of the king, both those at large in the country and those within the capital. Yet despite numerous difficulties, the capital remained the economic powerhouse of the nation and was arguably the single most important element in Parliament’s eventual victory. For London’s wealth enabled Parliament to take up arms in 1642 and sustained it through the difficult first year and a half of the war, without which Parliament’s ultimate victory would not have been possible. In this book the various sectors of London’s economy are examined and compared, as the war progressed. It also looks closely at the impact of war on the major pillars of the London economy, namely London’s role in external and internal trade, and manufacturing in London. The impact of the increasing burden of taxation on the capital is another key area that is studied and which yields surprising conclusions. The Civil War caused a major economic crisis in the capital, not only because of the interrelationship between its economy and that of the rest of England, but also because of its function as the hub of the social and economic networks of the kingdom and of the rest of the world. The crisis was managed, however, and one of the strengths of this study is its revelation of the means by which the city’s government sought to understand and ameliorate the unique economic circumstances which afflicted it.

The Impact of the English Civil War on the Economy of London, 1642-50 examines every sector of London's economy as it changed during the English Civil War. It also looks closely at the impact of war on the major pillars of the London economy, namely London's role in external and internal trade, and manufacturing in London. When the war broke out, London's economy was diverse and dynamic, closely connected through commercial networks with the rest of England and with Europe, Asia and North America. As such it was vulnerable to hostile acts by supporters of the king, both those at large in the country and those within the capital.

London's mobilisation proved crucial to parliament's success in the English Civil War. Through a rigorous investigation of archival and print sources, this book shows how and why the City aligned its interests with parliament and how, ultimately, this alignment led to the establishment of an army that would defeat the king of England.

`The book has a freshness of viewpoint which makes most enjoyable reading.' - Joan Thirsk As the country's largest city, the focus of its trade and cultural life and the possessor of sizeable militia forces and the national capital, London's influence on the country's history has always been very important. In particular its adherence to the parliamentarian cause was crucial to the outcome of the first Civil War and its aloofness from the second Civil War was no less significant. The essays in this volume examine the background to its choice of allegiance, the way in which it was secured for the parliamentary cause in 1642, its contribution to the war effort, the royalists' reaction to its recalcitrance, the impact of the war upon the capital and its importance as the centre of politically inspired ceremonial.

This study is a result of research into London during the Civil War. It covers areas such as the rise of mass politics, church and parliament in relation to the cities, godly rule, war and peace, and presbyterians and independents.

Miller provides a clear and comprehensible narrative, a coherent and accurate synthesis, intended as a guide for students and the general reader to an extremely complex period in British history. His aim is to help readers avoid getting lost in a maze of detail and rather to maintain a grasp of the big picture. Although the English Civil War is usually seen, in England at least, as a conflict between two sides, it involved the Scots, the Irish and the army and the people of England, especially London. At some points, events occurred and perspectives changed with such disorienting rapidity that even those who lived through these events were confused as to where they stood in relation to one another. As the 1640s wore on, events unfolded in ways which the participants had not expected and in many cases did not want. Hindsight might suggest that everything led logically to the trial and execution of the king, but these were in fact highly improbable outcomes. Since the 1980s, a 'three kingdoms' approach has become almost compulsory, but Miller's focus is unashamedly on England. Events in Scotland and Ireland are covered only insofar as they had an impact on events in England.