The English Civil War

2002
Ended
Documentary
~50m / ep
1 season

It was a time of great bitterness and hatred in Britain - a war that set father against son and brother against brother. The breakdown in relations between a Parliament with a strong purpose and a King who believed in his divine right to rule, set the scene for a series of brutal battles that were truly a struggle for the soul of a nation. The outcome of the English Civil War shaped the course of the nation's history, and laid the foundations of the country as it is today.

All seasons

Latest: Season 1 · 2002

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E1. A People Divided
Aug 6, 2002 · 50m
This first episode takes an in-depth look at the years between the accession of King Charles I in 1625 and the opening conflict of the war at the battle of Edgehill in 1642. The programme explores the complex web of of political, social, religious and military issues that were the root causes of the war.
E2. A Nation at War
Aug 13, 2002 · 50m
This second episode unravels the story of the early and middle phases of the conflict. This period saw fortunes fluctuate at the battles and sieges of Gloucester, Bristol, Newbury and Marston Moor.
E3. To Kill a King
Aug 20, 2002 · 50m
This third episode recounts the events that eventually led to the King's execution. The King's cause was dealt a fatal blow by the calamitous defeat of his forces at the battle of Naseby in1645, and the increasing influence of Oliver Cromwell.
E4. The Shadow Of The Scaffold
50m
This final episode examines the slaughters at Drogheda and Wexford, the defeat of the Scottish army at Worcester, the role of Cromwell as Lord Protector, and England as a Commonwealth. It concludes with the restoration of the monarchy after Cromwell's death in 1658.
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