Battle of Marston Moor

The Battle of Marston Moor, one of the decisive battles of the English Civil War, took place on July 2, 1644. The battle resulted in a Parliamentarian victory, and meant that, effectively, the North of England came under Parliamentary control.

Battle of Marston Moor
Dates of battle	July 2, 1644
Conflict	English Civil War
Battle before
Battle after
Site of battle	near Long Marston, 11km west of York
Combatant 1	Parliament
led by	Alexander Leslie, Earl of Leven
Forces	27,000 men
Combatant 2	Royalists
led by	Prince Rupert
Forces	7000 infantry, 7000 cavalry
result	decisive Parliamentary victory

Prelude

The royalist position in North England was precarious by the early summer of 1644. The last major royalist stronghold, York, was under siege from Leven and Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester.

Prince Rupert decided to relieve York and marched north. Cavalry officer Oliver Cromwell, responsible for patrolling the area, reported Rupert's approach to Montagu, who together with Leven marched south to intercept Rupert. But Rupert evaded them, and found a small cavalry detachment under Sir Thomas Fairfax at Marston Moor. Fairfax recalled his superiors. Rupert called the Duke of Newcastle out of York for the upcoming battle.

Description

Parliamentary forces were in the south, with their infantry under Leven and Manchester in the centre. Their cavalry was on the flanks, with Fairfax, Cromwell and Sir David Leslie in command.

Royalist forces occupied the moor, also with the infantry in the centre and cavalry under Goring and Byron on the flanks. Rupert commanded the reserve cavalry in the rear.

At about 6 pm, Leven ordered an advance, and Cromwell succeeded in routing the Royalist cavalry under Byron, assisted by Leslie when Rupert came in to support Byron. On the other flank, Goring routed Fairfax, and most of Goring's horse pursued them. The rest of Goring's horse assaulted the Parliament infantry, till Cromwell arrived to chase them off and assisted Manchester to take on the royalist infantry. The royalist whitecoats refused to surrender and were killed.

Aftermatch

In this battle Rupert lost his reputation of invincibility, and Cromwell's reputation as a cavalry commander was made.

With the major Royalist force destroyed, York fell on July 16, and the Royalists lost their influence in Northern England.