The New Model Army: Agent of Revolution

by Ian Gentles

Overview

The definitive account of the superior fighting force that powered the English Revolution

The New Model Army was one of the most formidable fighting forces ever assembled. Formed in 1645, it was crucial in overthrowing the monarchy and propelling one of its most brilliant generals, Oliver Cromwell, to power during the English Revolution. Paradoxically, it was also instrumental in restoring the king in 1660. But the true nature of this army has long been debated.
 
In this authoritative history, Ian Gentles examines the full scope of the New Model Army. As a fighting force it engineered regicide, pioneered innovative military tactics, and helped to keep Cromwell in power as Lord Protector until his death. All the while, those within its ranks promoted radical political ideas inspired by the Levellers and held dissenting religious beliefs. Gentles explores how brilliant battlefield maneuvering and logistical prowess contributed to its victories—and demonstrates the vital role religion played in building morale and military effectiveness.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300265200
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	04/19/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	12 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Formerly of York University, Ian Gentles is Distinguished Professor in History at Tyndale University, Toronto. An expert on the English Revolution, he is the author of The English Revolution and the Wars in the Three Kingdoms and Oliver Cromwell, among numerous other books and articles.

Table of Contents

List of Maps and Illustrations ix

Preface and Acknowledgements xi

Prologue 1

1 The Founding of the New Model Army 4

2 Recruitment, Provisioning and Pay 18

3 The Year of Victories, 1645-46 34

4 Religion and Morale 45

5 The Political Wars, 1646-48 - Part I: From the King's Surrender to the Assault on Parliament 63

6 The Political Wars, 1646-48 - Part II: From the Occupation of London to the Second Civil War 89

7 The Second Civil War 108

8 'That Man of Blood': The Army and the Regicide, September 1648 to May 1649 128

9 The Army and the Levellers, February to September 1649 158

10 The Conquest and Occupation of Ireland, 1649-60 175

11 The Conquest and Rule of Scotland, 1650-59 205

12 The Army and the Expulsion of the Rump Parliament, September 1651 to April 1653 237

13 Barebone's Parliament and the Protectorate, 1653-56 253

14 The Army and the End of the Parliamentary Rule, 1656-59 279

15 The Army Brings Back the King, 1659-60 297

Epilogue 318

Notes 322

Select Bibliography 375

Index 377

Editorial Reviews

Authoritative and incisive. . . . This is far from just a military history. Gentles, formerly of York University, deals briskly with the key battles and sieges that made, for better or worse, the New Model’s reputation—Naseby, Dunbar, Colchester, Drogheda. . . . Gentles is fascinating too when writing about procurement.”—Paul Lay, Times (UK)

“Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army won the decisive battles of the English civil war, overthrew the monarchy in 1649 and sustained the republic until its collapse in 1660. In this expanded version of a study published in 1992, Gentles shows why he is considered the leading authority on the army.”—Tony Barber, Financial Times, “Best Summer Books of 2022: History”

“A thorough study. . . . The author’s mastery of the relevant manuscript and printed primary sources and secondary works is exemplary.”—Edward M. Furgol, Seventeenth-Century News

“Gentles hits full stride in his accounts of individual battles, providing vivid accounts of the view from the trenches.”—Journal of Modern History

“Ian Gentles has long been the leading authority on the most important and influential army in English history: and this latest book proves that he still is!”—Ronald Hutton, author of The Making of Oliver Cromwell

“Gentles recovers the heart of revolutionary England in this indispensable and definitive landmark book. He masterfully charts the astonishing rise and successes of the New Model Army. Now, in this updated and fresh edition, he provides a view from the inside into the fears, failures, and wider aspirations of the army during its final and most elusive years.”—Polly Ha, associate professor of the history of Christianity, Duke University

“Students of the English Revolution, for whom the first edition of The New Model Army has long been required reading, will be thrilled. . . . A tour de force which presents the New Model as a political phenomenon as well as a highly effective military force.”—David Appleby, author of Black Bartholomew’s Day

“This is an important and timely reworking of a classic study of the military wrecking ball of the English Revolution. Authoritative yet accessible, the lively narrative guides the reader through a complex and transformative period in the histories of England, Ireland, and Scotland. Henceforth, Gentles’ account will be essential reading for those interested in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.”—Micheál Ó Siochrú, Trinity College Dublin, author of God’s Executioner: Oliver Cromwell and the Conquest of Ireland

From the Publisher

Ian Gentles has long been the leading authority on the most important and influential army in English history: and this latest book proves that he still is!”
Ronald Hutton, author of The Making of Oliver Cromwell  
 

Ronald Hutton

Gentles recovers the heart of revolutionary England in this indispensable and definitive landmark book. He masterfully charts the astonishing rise and successes of the New Model Army. Now, in this updated and fresh edition, he provides a view from the inside into the fears, failures, and wider aspirations of the army during its final and most elusive years.”
Polly Ha, Associate Professor of the History of Christianity, Duke University
 

Polly Ha

This is an important and timely reworking of a classic study of the military wrecking ball of the English Revolution. Authoritative yet accessible, the lively narrative guides the reader through a complex and transformative period in the histories of England, Ireland, and Scotland. Henceforth, Gentles’ account will be essential reading for those interested in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.”
Professor Micheál Ó Siochrú, Trinity College Dublin, author of God’s Executioner: Oliver Cromwell and the conquest of Ireland
 

Micheál Ó Siochrú

Students of the English Revolution, for whom the first edition of The New Model Army has long been required reading, will be thrilled … A tour de force which presents the New Model as a political phenomenon as well as a highly effective military force.”
David Appleby, author of Black Bartholomew's Day
 

David Appleby