As Royalists and Parliamentarians prepared GetReady for war , Parliament had access Having_or_lacking_access to more military material , due Causation to its possession of all major cities including the large arsenal in London .

The English Civil War ( 1642–1651 ) was a series of civil wars Hostile_encounter and political machinations between Parliamentarians ( `` Roundheads '' ) and Royalists ( `` Cavaliers '' ) principally over the manner of England 's governance .

The combined forces Causation of the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester and the Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven defeated Conquering the Royalists commanded Control by Prince Rupert of the Rhine and the Marquess of Newcastle .

During the summer of 1644 , the Covenanters and Parliamentarians had been besieging Besieging York , which was defended Defending by the Marquess of Newcastle .

On 1 July , Rupert outmanoeuvred the Covenanters and Parliamentarians to relieve Conquering the city .

Towards evening , the Covenanters and Parliamentarians themselves launched Military_operation a surprise attack Hostile_encounter .

Following a year of Royalist successes Achieve in which they took Conquering Banbury , Oxford and Reading without conflict before storming Attack Bristol , the Parliamentarians were left Departing without an effective army in the field .

This left a hole in the Parliamentarian line , dividing the army into two wings through which the Royalists hoped to pass Motion_directional , splitting Destroying the Parliamentarians and allowing Preventing_or_letting Charles 's troops to encircle Besieging and defeat Conquering the enemy .

In early 1649 , the Confederates allied Collaboration with the English Royalists , who had been defeated Earnings_and_losses by the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War Hostile_encounter .

The Parliamentarians also transported Bringing about 50,000 people as indentured labourers .

Fought Hostile_encounter by the Parliamentarians , commanded Control by Sydnam Poyntz , and the Royalists under the personal command Control of King Charles I , it was a significant defeat Earnings_and_losses for the Royalists , with heavy losses Earnings_and_losses and Charles prevented Preventing_or_letting from relieving Assistance the Siege Besieging of Chester .

The intent was to attack Attack the besieging Parliamentarians from both sides , Charles mistakenly believing Know that Poyntz had failed to follow Motion them .

This defeat Earnings_and_losses prevented Preventing_or_letting Charles from relieving Assistance the defenders in Chester , which fell to the Parliamentarians on 3 February 1646 .