The Army in Cromwellian England, 1649-1660

From 1649-1660 England was ruled by a standing army for the only time in its history. In The Army in Cromwellian England Henry Reece describes, for the first time, the nature of that experience, both for members of the army and for civilian society. The book is split into three parts. The first section looks at the size of the army, its material needs, promotion structure, and political engagement to provide a sense of the day-to-day reality of being part of a standing army. The second part considers the impact of the military presence on society by establishing where soldiers were quartered, how they were paid, the material burden that they represented, the divisive effects of the army's patronage of religious radicals, and the extensive involvement of army officers in the government of the localities. The final section re-evaluates the army's role in the political events from Cromwell's death to the restoration of the Stuart monarchy, and explains why the army crumbled so pitifully in the last months of the Commonwealth. an excellent treatment of the ... day-to-day experience of the peacetime army of the Commonwealth and Protectorate ... As this body of men was, beyond doubt, the empowering force of English (and indeed British and Irish) political developments between 1647 and 1660, to achieve such a well-rounded portrait of it is extremely valuable. Ronald Hutton, University of BristolIntroduction ; PART 1: THE CHARACTER OF THE ARMY ; 1. A Standing Army ; 2. Promotion and Patronage ; 3. Political Engagement ; PART 2: THE ARMY AND SOCIETY ; 4. The Garrisoning and Quartering of the Army ; 5. The Provision of Pay to the Army ; 6. The Material Impact of the Military Presence ; 7. The Religious Impact of the Military Presence ; 8. The Army and the Government of the Localities ; PART 3: THE ARMY AND THE END OF THE REPUBLIC ; 9. The Military Presence Unchecked ; 10. The Demise of the Army ; Conclusion ; Bibliography ; Index