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Battle of Naseby Timeline
(14 June 1645)The Battle of Naseby, fought on 14 June 1645 in Northamptonshire, England, was the decisive battle of the First English Civil War. The Parliamentarian New Model Army under Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell decisively defeated King Charles I's Royalist army, effectively destroying the king's main field force and paving the way for the eventual Parliamentarian victory in the civil war. More Less
Lead-up to Battle
Formation of the New Model Army
Feb 1645
Parliament passed the Self-Denying Ordinance and reorganized its forces into the New Model Army under Sir Thomas Fairfax, with Oliver Cromwell commanding cavalry. It was a professional, disciplined force funded by Parliament, designed to bring decisive action to the war against King Charles I.
Image source: New Model Army
Royalist sack of Leicester
May 31, 1645
King Charles I's army stormed and sacked the Parliamentarian-held town of Leicester, looting it heavily. The attack was intended to draw the New Model Army away from besieging Oxford, but Fairfax instead marched north to seek a decisive engagement.
Image source: Leicester
Fairfax abandons siege of Oxford
Jun 1, 1645
Rather than pursuing Charles after the sack of Leicester, Sir Thomas Fairfax lifted the siege of Oxford and moved his army northward to hunt down the Royalist army, setting the two forces on a collision course in the East Midlands.
Image source: Siege of Oxford
Cromwell appointed lieutenant-general of horse
Jun 10, 1645
Despite the Self-Denying Ordinance, Parliament granted Oliver Cromwell a commission as Lieutenant-General of Horse in the New Model Army for forty days. His exceptional cavalry leadership would prove pivotal at Naseby days later.
Image source: Oliver Cromwell
Armies converge near Naseby village
Jun 13, 1645
Scouting parties from both armies clashed near Naseby in Northamptonshire. Prince Rupert urged King Charles I to give battle despite being outnumbered, believing the Royalists could defeat the New Model Army before its ranks were fully assembled.
Image source: Battle of Naseby
The Battle of Naseby
Battle of Naseby begins on Broad Moor
Jun 14, 1645
On the morning of June 14, roughly 14,000 Parliamentarians under Fairfax faced about 9,000 Royalists commanded by Charles I and Prince Rupert on moorland near Naseby, Northamptonshire. The largest battle of the Civil War began around 10 a.m. with an exchange of artillery fire.
Rupert's cavalry routs Parliament's right wing
Jun 14, 1645
Prince Rupert's cavalry charged and broke the Parliamentary left wing under Henry Ireton, but Rupert's troopers pursued them too far off the battlefield, wasting precious time plundering the baggage train instead of returning to support the main fight.
Cromwell's Ironsides win the flank battle
Jun 14, 1645
On the opposite wing, Oliver Cromwell's disciplined cavalry defeated Marmaduke Langdale's Royalist horse while maintaining formation. Cromwell then wheeled his troopers inward to strike the Royalist infantry, turning the tide decisively toward Parliament.
Image source: Ironside (cavalry)
Destruction of the Royalist infantry
Jun 14, 1645
Attacked from front and flank by Fairfax's infantry, dragoons under John Okey, and Cromwell's cavalry, the Royalist foot soldiers were overwhelmed and forced to surrender or flee. Around 1,000 Royalists were killed and over 4,500 captured, along with all their artillery and baggage.
Aftermath and Consequences
Capture of the King's private papers
Jun 14, 1645
Parliamentary troops seized Charles I's baggage, revealing correspondence that exposed his negotiations for foreign Catholic troops from Ireland and continental Europe. Published as 'The King's Cabinet Opened,' these documents severely damaged the King's reputation and cause.
Image source: The King's Cabinet Opened
Key Facts
- The Battle of Naseby took place on 14 June 1645 near the village of Naseby in Northamptonshire, England.
- It was fought between the Parliamentarian New Model Army, led by Sir Thomas Fairfax with Oliver Cromwell commanding the cavalry, and the Royalist army led by King Charles I and Prince Rupert.
- The Parliamentarians numbered around 14,000 troops, while the Royalists had roughly 9,000, giving them a significant numerical advantage.
- The Royalist cavalry initially broke the Parliamentarian left wing, but Cromwell's disciplined cavalry routed the Royalist right and then turned to crush the infantry center.
- The decisive defeat destroyed Charles I's main field army, and the capture of his private correspondence revealed his plans for foreign intervention, severely damaging his cause.
Source
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