English Civil war Parliamentary cavalry

Two Parliamentary (Roundheads) cavalry soldiers from the English civil war, sit talking while their horses fidget impatiently.

The English civil war was fought between 1642 and 1646 between the Royalists (Cavaliers) and Parliamentary (Roundheads) forces. It was difficult to distinguish which side troops were on as they had no set uniform, coloured sashes were worn but the colours chosen by individual units and sometimes units on opposing sides would have the same colour.

The Royalists lost and King Charles I was executed on 30th January 1649. Britain then became a Commonwealth for 11 years under the military dictatorship of Oliver Cromwell, before the monarchy was reestablished in 1660.