Battle of Naseby
| date | June 14, 1645 |
|---|---|
| place | Naseby , Northamptonshire |
| output | Decisive victory for the parliamentarians |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
 Kingdom of England
|
.svg){kind=small} Commonwealth
|
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| 4,100 horsemen 3,300 soldiers |
6,000 horsemen 7,000 soldiers |
| losses | |
|
3,500 fallen |
unknown |
In the Battle of Naseby ( England ) on June 14, 1645 the Parliamentary Army ( Roundheads ) fought under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell against the Royal Army under the command of King Charles I in the last great decisive battle of the English Civil War .
There were about 13,000 roundheads battling just over 7,000 royals. Both armies were made up of volunteers and mercenaries. Oliver Cromwell took advantage of the build-up of his powerful cavalry , which was consistently drilled and had the most modern weapons. He also had considerably more soldiers available.
The formations were alike: the main power, consisting of pikemen , crossbowmen and musketeers , was in the center. The cavalry was posted on the flanks, behind the battle line some artillery and supply trains were set up.
course
The numerically inferior royal cavalry pushed against the left flank of the New Model Army and was able to push it back almost to the supply train. However, its defense was supported by some infantry brigades . On the other hand, Cromwell attacked the right side of the royal forces.
Here he not only had more soldiers available, but they also had the greater combat power, so that he could push back the front brigades of the enemy and attack the rear units of the infantry from the side. As a result, his cavalry severely weakened the center of the royal troops. He could even turn around and stab the actually successful royal cavalry in the back and thus win the battle.
In addition to more than 5,000 prisoners, the insignificant artillery was captured. More importantly, the king fled and soon surrendered to the Scots.
Trivia
In the British crime series " Inspector Barnaby ", the episode " You are dead! " Is about two neighboring families who have been enemies since the Battle of Naseby - almost four hundred years ago.
literature
- Glenn Foard: Naseby The Decisive campaign. Pen & Sword Military, 1995. ISBN 1-84415-132-8 .
- Peter Young: Naseby 1645: The Campaign and the Battle. London: Century Publications. 1985. ISBN 0-7126-0489-8 .
Web links
Coordinates: 52 ° 24 ′ 57 " N , 0 ° 59 ′ 43" W.