The English Civil Wars of 1642-1651, part of a broader pattern of civil conflict in Britain and Ireland between 1639 and 1660 caused by a clash between King Charles I and Parliament over issues of religion, the constitutional role and limitations of monarchy and command and control of military forces, set the stage for the evolution of the modern British constitution and the British Army. The English Civil War volume in the International Library of Essays on Military History presents a series of scholarly articles exploring the military, political, social, religious, economic and constitutional context within which the Royalist and Parliamentarian forces struggled. Additionally, the essays examine the nature of armies and of war in mid-seventeenth century Britain, as well as selected campaigns and battles that shaped the eventual outcome.