Cromwell against the Scots: Last Anglo-Scottish War, 1650-52

By John D. Grainger

After an introduction establishing Cromwell's war against the Scots from July 1650 to May 1652, this book discusses Charles' landing and Fairfax's resignation as commander-in-chief of the English Republican Army, both events occurred on the same day. It then addresses the causes of the war, Charles II's landing in Northern Scotland from the Continent. The story continues chronologically, from Cromwell's invasion of Scotland, through the Battle of Dunbar, and the slow establishment of the king's power over the Scottish government. The end came with the fall of the last of the Scottish castles, Dunnottar, to English conquest. The Scots enjoyed a distinct military recovery after the Dunbar defeat, but their aims and those of the king were always at cross purposes: the king was intent on the invasion of England, the Scots on resistance to English conquest. Finally, Cromwell's manoeuvres in the summer of 1651, and the English victory at Inverkeithing, allowed the king to invade England. This ended in another Scots defeat at Worcester. The removal of the Scots Army to England meanwhile allowed the English under Monck to complete their conquest of Scotland.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Donald
• Release date: Jan 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9781788854078

John D. Grainger

John D. Grainger is a former teacher turned professional historian. He has over thirty books to his name, divided between classical history and modern British political and military history. His previous books for Pen & Sword are Hellenistic and Roman Naval Wars; Wars of the Maccabees; Traditional Enemies: Britain’s War with Vichy France 1940-42; Roman Conquests: Egypt and Judaea; Rome, Parthia and India: The Violent Emergence of a New World Order: 150-140 BC; a three-volume history of the Seleukid Empire and British Campaigns in the South Atlantic 1805-1807.