Outline of the wars of the Three Kingdoms

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the wars of the Three Kingdoms:

Wars of the Three Kingdoms – A series of interconnected conflicts within the kingdoms of England, Ireland and Scotland which took place from 1639-1651.

Background

Incidents which can be seen as leading to the wars of the Three Kingdoms:

• Personal Rule - The period of 1629-1640 where King Charles I ruled without recourse to Parliament.
• Jenny Geddes starts riot in Edinburgh - Incident in 1637 starting protests over the use of the Book of Common Prayer by the Church of Scotland.

Participants

The wars of the Three Kingdoms was fought between combatants of the following forces:

• Royalists - Forces in all three kingdoms loyal to Charles I of England and his son Charles II of England.
• Covenanters - Scottish Presbyterians organised by the Church of Scotland.
• Confederate Ireland - For a period from 1642-1649 this faction achieved self rule, and was allied to the Royalists.
• Parliamentarians - Fought with the goal of giving Parliament supreme executive power.

Main conflicts

The wars of the Three Kingdoms included the following conflicts:

• Bishops' Wars - Conflicts in 1639 and 1640 over the governance of the Church of Scotland.
• Irish Rebellion of 1641 - Rebellion by Irish Catholics.
• Irish Confederate Wars - Conflict in Ireland from 1641-1653.
• English Civil Wars - Series of conflicts over the rule of England which included combatants from Scotland and Ireland as well.
  • First English Civil War - 1642-1646.
  • Second English Civil War - 1648.
  • Third English Civil War - 1649-1651.
• Cromwellian conquest of Ireland - Conquest of Ireland led by Oliver Cromwell from 1649-1653.

Notable events

The following non-military events were connected to the wars of the Three Kingdoms.

• Short Parliament - Sat for three weeks in 1640, before being dissolved by King Charles I.
• Treaty of Ripon - Agreement ceding Northumberland and County Durham to Scottish Covenanter forces, forcing King Charles I to recall Parliament.
• Grand Remonstrance - List of grievances presented by Parliament to King Charles I in 1641.
• Solemn League and Covenant - 1643 agreement between Scottish Covenanters and English Parliamentarians.
• Execution of Charles I - Occurred in 1649.

Notable individuals

Political leaders

• King Charles I - Ruler of the Three Kingdoms from 1625-1649.
• King Charles II - King of Scotland from 1649-1651 and then ruler of all three kingdoms from 1660.
• John Pym - Leader of Parliamentary opposition to the King.

Military leaders

• Oliver Cromwell - General in the Parliamentarian army.
• Thomas Fairfax - Commander-in-Chief of the Parliamentarian army.
• James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose - Fought initially for the Scottish Covenanters, before later fighting for King Charles I as the English Civil War developed.

Others

• Jenny Geddes - Incited riot thought to have led to the Bishops' Wars

Events outside the Three Kingdoms

Prior to and during the wars of the Three Kingdoms, the Kingdom of England held dominion over a number of colonies and protectorates. The wars spread to these areas as well.

• Channel Islands in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
• English overseas possessions in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms

Aftermath

The wars of the Three Kingdoms resulted in the following situations:

• Commonwealth of England - Created in 1649 following the execution of Charles I of England.
• Interregnum (1649–1660) - Ended when Charles II of England ascended to the throne.

See also

• European wars of religion
• Thirty Years' War
• Timeline of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms

External links

• British Civil Wars, Commonwealth and Protectorate Project
• Chronology of The Wars of the Three Kingdoms
• The Wars of the Three Kingdoms Article by Jane Ohlmeyer arguing that the English Civil War was just one of an interlocking set of conflicts that encompassed the British Isles in the mid-17th century