THE CIVIL WAR (1642-46)
At the start of the Civil War, the parliamentary party had 
no intention of setting up a government by Parliament 
alone. Its intention was simply to force the King to 
govern according to law. Initially, the King's Royalist 
supporters (based mainly in the North and West of 
England) gained ground - but the tide began to turn 
following the formation of the New Model Army, which 
united various local armies under the Eastern Association 
led by Oliver Cromwell. 

In 1645, Charles was decisively defeated at Naseby - after
which the Army began to increase its power over Parliament.
Charles later surrendered, escaped whilst in the army's hands,
and was finally recaptured following the short second Civil
War of 1648.