Why did the naseby battle start
Country: England County: Northamptonshire. Numbers: Royalist: about 12,; Parliamentarian: about 15, Losses: Royalist: circa ; Parliamentarian: less than A major new initialtive has been taken on the development of interpretive facilities at Naseby.
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Parliament controlled London, the South East and the North. Neither side had a clearly defined plan. Parliament needed to defeat the King, but wanted time to recruit and develop their New Model Army. The King could not decide whether to regain the northern counties, or to consolidate his strength in the South West.
The New Model Army moved to cut it off. The Royalist army was led by King Charles I Its commanders were chosen and promoted for their aristocratic pedigree rather than their experience or ability. At Naseby the army consisted of around 10, men. The foot soldiers were armed with muskets or pikes.
Charles's 4, cavalrymen were led by his nephew Prince Rupert of the Rhine But his advice against accepting battle there was ignored by his uncle. Its commanders were excluded from political power and promoted on the basis of ability, not blood. Sir Thomas Fairfax had overall command of the army at Naseby, which consisted of 12, men. Around half were on horseback, under the command of Lieutenant-General Oliver Cromwell.
The armies drew up on opposite sides of a shallow valley, at the base of which ran a stream. Both Royalist and Parliamentarian lines arranged their foot regiments in the centre, and cavalry on the wings.
The battlefield was about a mile across and confined on either side by hedges. Cromwell ordered his dragoons mounted troops with muskets to harass the right wing of the Royalist cavalry from the cover of the hedgerow on that side. Unwilling to take fire, and eager to open the battle, Prince Rupert led his cavalry forward.
He charged through the New Model Army's left wing and on to the artillery and baggage trains in the rear. Meanwhile, the foot soldiers from both sides closed and struggled in the centre. Initially, the Royalists appeared to be getting the upper hand. Out-manoeuvred, the Royalists began a fighting retreat north. King Charles and many of his commanders, including Prince Rupert, escaped. But the Royalists were unable to replace the men and resources lost at Naseby. The war continued, but there was little hope.
However, horse-mounted Parliamentary scouts tracked their every move. On the night of June 13 th , Charles decided that any continuing move north would play into the hands of Parliament who could pick-off his rear markers with ease.
With an inflated opinion as to the military prowess of the Royalist Army, Charles decided that an attack was his best move. The battle was fought on June 14 th. Before the battle started, the New Model Army set itself up on a ridge overlooking Naseby. However, Cromwell ordered the army off of this ridge as he decided that it was too good a position and not even an incompetent military commander like Charles would attack such a position.
He moved the army back to Naseby village — some 1. Charles had a force of between 8, and 9, men. Fairfax commanded 13, men. Opposing him were the 2, horsemen of Marmaduke Langdale. On the left flank for Parliament were the horsemen of Henry Ireton and opposing him were the horse of Princes Rupert and Maurice. Between both sets of horsemen on both sides were the infantry.
The battle started at While this mistake would not have led to any difference in the final outcome, it could have made the battle a lot more difficult for Fairfax. On the right flank, Langdale attacked Cromwell at the same time as Rupert attacked Ireton. Cromwell duly attacked but kept men in reserve as an insurance. It was this attack on the right flank of the Royalists infantry that doomed Charles to defeat.