The New Model Army was decisive in bringing about victory for the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War. Through its success on the battlefield, it was able to pave the way for the republican Commonwealth. But it would subsequently have a different role, maintaining this new system that its soldiers had fought to secure.

In this insightful talk Jonathan Cobb will examine the formation, leadership, religious orientation and political dynamic of the New Model Army from Naseby (1645) to the Restoration of the monarchy (1660).

He will assess the roles of notable figures such as Thomas Fairfax, Oliver Cromwell, Henry Ireton, John Lambert and George Monck. He will also examine the relationship with the Leveller movement, the campaigns in Ireland and Scotland, and the rule of the Major-Generals.

Jonathan P Cobb read History at the University of Edinburgh. He held a commission in the British Army from 1983 to 1988, before embarking on a lengthy career in investment management. Today, he lives and writes in East Lothian.

A Sword for Christ