The Battle of Naseby

Date: 14th June 1645 Location: Naseby, Northamptonshire Parliamentarian Commander: Sir Thomas Fairfax, Commander-in-Chief Royalist Commander: Charles I, King of England Victor: Parliament

Meanwhile, Fairfax was besieging the Royalist city of Oxford, where Charles had his headquarters. Charles decided to march south with his combined forces in order to lift the siege.

Charles reached Daventry on 7 Jun, and Fairfax lifted his siege. Fairfax, though, had not been interested in Oxford as much as Charles' army itself, and immediately marched north-east in an attempt to engage it.

The royalist outposts clashed with Fairfax's cavalry on 12 Jun, alerting Charles to the proximity of the parliamentarian forces.

Charles marched north again, having broken the siege he had no wish to engage Fairfax unnecessarily. Fairfax pursued them, and Charles found that he could not outdistance him. Rather than continue the exhausting march, Charles turned his army to fight.

The royalists deployed in a good defensive position at Market Harborough on 14 Jun, and scouts were sent out to determine Fairfax's position.

The scouts failed to find him, but Rupert took it upon himself to scout in person, not believing the army scouts' report. Rupert did find the parliamentarians, near Naseby,and sent word that the army should advance to meet them.

This was a dubious order, since it allowed Fairfax to pick his ground, rather than forcing him to advance onto the royalists' own ground.

The parliamentarian cavalry were on each flank, with Sir Henry Ireton on the left and Oliver Cromwell on the right. Phillip Skippon, in command of the infantry , was in the centre.

Fairfax positioned his dragoons, under Okey, to the left and slightly ahead of his main strength. In this position, they were able to fire across at any cavalry charges.

The royalists were deployed in a similar manner, save for dragoons. Lord Astley commanded the foot in the centre. Sir Marmaduke Langdale commanded the left flank and Rupert the right, both cavalry. Charles himself commanded the reserves to the rear and centre.

In the centre, the infantry met and the parliamentarians were again pushed back.

Rupert, as was now typical, allowed his cavalry to continue the charge past the parliamentarian rear, and onto the baggage train, where they were checked by the defenders' fire. The damage had been done to the left flank, though, and it began to give ground.

On the right flank, however, Cromwell had timed his charge well. The royalist horse were slowed by marshy ground, and the impetus of Cromwell's charge routed them off the field. Showing the discipline of the New Model Army, his troops then divided. Some continued the chase, to ensure that the opposing cavalry would not return, but the greater part turned on the royalist infantry.

The royalist left began to give ground under this new assault, and Charles lead the reserve backwards, under advice that he would be "riding to his death" had he supported his flank.

Okey's dragoons mounted their steeds and, with the support of a few of Ireton's horse that had rallied, attacked the royalist right. This attack checked the advance of the royalist foot.

With no horse to defend them, the royalist foot were subjected to attacks from all sides, and the army began to disintegrate - most of them surrendering.

Charles fled the area, allowing Fairfax to continue on to Leicester and retake the city.