"ECW Books?" Topic

Hi
Can anyone recommend any books for the above. I am soon to embark on 6mm ECW project and would like to start researching the subject.

I am looking for books relating to a general overview of the war, its history and causes. Uniform guides and oob would also be useful.

Thanks in advance.
Gav

Hi Gav
For a general overview then the following are a pretty good place to start:
The English Civil War – Haythornwaite
The English Civil Wars-Bob Carruthers
The English Civil War – Martyn Bennett
Soldiers of the English Civil War 1&2 – Osprey Elite Series
Cheers
Steve

Cassell's Battlefields of Britain & Ireland by Richard Brooks link is invaluable.

I got mine discounted, but maybe they are getting bought up these days. And, for general browsing, I still quite like the old Philip Haythornthwaite illustrated title 'The English Civil War' (which you might be able to pick up on a Bring & Buy/second hand shelf I guess) …

Martin Marix Evans is good on Naseby (any title) and if you like the latest spins, Malcolm Wanklyn (Decisive Battles of the English Civil War) is a genuinely good read.

hope that helps

Phil
ecwbattles.wordpress.com

The CV Wedgwood trilogy

The Kings Peace
The Kings War
A Coffin for King Charles

Is excellent.

A coffin for King Charles? Do you mean the Trial of Charles 1?

Jaycor I can only add that The King's War is excellent. It actually gives you the cause for the civil wars, and in the beginning it had nothing to with religion. The Scots Wars in 1639/40 certainly, but in England that was an excuse exploited to it's maximum. The man that turned the country upside down was John Pym, a Machiavellian character to the nth degree. A brilliant organiser, political tactition and manipulator. If not for him the world be very different despite the efforts put in by another renegade, Harry Vane. IMO they should both have been assassinated!

Further to my post, I would add that if you come down on the side of the Royalists, then definitely look into the Marquis of Montrose, probably one of the finest guerilla generals the British Isles have ever had. You will most likely get a very unbalanced view from Stuart Reid as he is a Covenant fanatic, so he told me one time in London, but there are others. For a really good dramatised version read the Nigel Tranter books.

I also have just begun a ECW project and I can recommend the following:

_The Marquis of Montrose_, by John Buchan. This book can be had for free from Google Books. This is a fantastic (and classic) view into the politics and military operations surrounding Montrose. Lots of great information on the Highlanders, the Covenanters, battle tactics, formations, troop movement, etc. It is also very readable and enjoyable.

_The English Civil War. Papists, Gentlewoman, Soldiers, and Witchfinders in the Birth of Modern Britain_. by Diane Purkiss. This is more of a social history of the time and will give a good coloring to the economical, political and military landscape surrounding the ECW.

Good luck!

The initial request was for a "general overview and uniform guide". So most of what is being recommended so far doesn't fit the bill. Being too specific in their scope.

But the Haythornthwaite book is probably what you're looking for. Followed closely by the Ospreys.

@Royalistdave – Mine says a coffin likethis one though an older copy

link

@ The Tin Dictator

selective reading perchance?

I am looking for books relating to a general overview of the war, its history and causes.

I think that England's Troubles by Jonathan Scott is a great overview for the history of the period.

Tin Dictator I think you should read the request again. It asks for the history and it's causes as well as uniform guides.

Value for money is the Haythornthwaite, though many illus now outdated but as you can pick it up cheaply..

The 1 Osprey elites

STuart Reid's ALL THE KING's ARMIES is still the best campaign history

ENglish Civil war flags and colours for… er… Flags and colours

Wedgewood- highly dated but boy, can she write history and still a decent chronological overview

Buchan & Tranter- rollicking good reads but as accurate as my first Sealed Knot uniform.

Stoss & RD,

You are correct. But I still maintain that a "General Overview" is what he is looking for.

But, whatever. Keep on recommending the book titles that you like. If nothing else, we'll all get a good list to work from.

Thanks guys.

That's a great list to start with. I usually game in 15mm Napoleonics but having researched my family tree back to the early 1600's, it occurred to me that I know practicaly nothing about this important and facinating part of Englands history. Plus having the battlefields within easy reach I've decided not to put it off any longer and take the plunge.

From a gaming point of view uniform guides and orders of battle will be essential but I for one get more of a kick from the game if I understand the history behind it which is where the general overview comes in. From there I will delve deeper into personal memoirs and more in depth reading into the more influential and colourful characters of the period.

Keep the suggestions comming as I'm sure it will proove useful to others also.

Thanks again
Gav

I enjoyed "Going to the Wars: The Experience of the British Civil Wars 1638 – 1651 by Charles Carlton:

link

RoyalistDave, you forgot to mention Pym and the Providence Island Company. Another interesting take on what he and the other three of the "four" were motivated by.

Thanks Phillius, of course you're right and the King's alliance with Spain lit the fuse when the Spanish invaded the Dutch Indies. Not only Pym but the other members of his cabal were shareholders in their Dutch enterprise and were facing possible bankruptcy. They knew they had no chance or the power to break the Royal Alliance and so from there it was not a massive leap to implement a religious argument in Parliament – Protestant vs Catholic. A smokescreen! Also the move, again initiated by Pym that Parliament could only be dissolved by it's own consent. Very clever indeed. It looked to all as though this was a riposte to the king closing Parliament in 1629/30 and the members fighting for their rights. Total rubbish! MP's sitting in Parliament could not be arrested for debt. Again the smokescreen, you have to give Pym credit! Once the initial pieces had been put together the rest became easy. Self interest started the Civil Wars, don't let anyone tell you different, and everything that followed in the years to come was solely due to the failing of the Providence Island Company.

I think the above explanation of the causes of the ECW has to be read in the light of the poster's name. It also leaves out Charles (cack-handed) role in the whole thing in favour of an implication of a chess like conspiracy orchestrated by a 'cabal'. I find the comment re assassination interesting (as if the death of one man would have kept such a bunch of incompetents as the Stuarts on the throne) – as we've just found in Ulster, such actions have a tendency to blow up in one's face

I'd recommend pike andshot tactics from Osprey and Cromwells War Machine both by Keith Roberts.