The fifteen-year period between 1645 and 1660 was one of the most dynamic in British history, during which the republican Commonwealth and Cromwellian Protectorate attempted to create a new type of ‘Godly’ state after the execution of Charles I.
Drawing on the latest research and established sources, as well as the works and diaries of contemporaries such as John Evelyn, Lucy Hutchinson and Samuel Pepys, A Sword for Christ offers a new and stimulating perspective on these extraordinary years. Key personalities such as Sir Thomas Fairfax, the Marquis of Argyll, Charles II and, of course, Oliver Cromwell himself – one of the most contentious figures in history – are re-appraised and brought vividly to life.
In addition to exploring the religious and political debates which shaped the era and the military culture which defined it, the book also considers how society was profoundly affected by the upheaval caused by the civil wars; the relations between what was essentially an English republic and its Irish and Scottish neighbours; and the ethos of the New Model Army and the navy.
- ISBN13 9781780276922
- Publish Date 2 September 2021
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Birlinn General
- Imprint Birlinn Ltd
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 416
- Language English