Parliament's Generals: Supreme Command and Politics during the British Wars, 1642–51

By: Malcolm Wanklyn

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Synopsis: The author of The Warrior Generals examines the machinations of the Parlimentarian military leadership during the English Civil War. Waller, Essex, Fairfax, Manchester, and Cromwell are among the most famous military men who fought for Parliament during the English Civil War. While their performance as generals has been explored in numerous books on the campaigns, comparatively little has been written by military historians about the political aspects of high command, namely the ever-changing and often fractious relationship with the English Parliament and its executive committees. With this book, Malcolm Wanklyn sheds light on the qualities these men employed in their attempts to achieve their military and political aspirations. In a series of insightful chapters, he follows their careers through the course of the conflict, focusing on their successes and failures in battle and the consequences for their reputations and influence. The author examines dissatisfaction with the leadership of Essex, Manchester, and Waller in the inconclusive early campaigns, as well as the contrasting strengths of Fairfax and Cromwell. This reassessment demonstrates how these commanders managed promotions, outmaneuvered their fellow generals, and controlled their subordinates.