Charles Cavendish (general)
Encyclopedia
Charles Cavendish was an English royalist general, killed at the battle of Gainsborough
.
and his wife Christiana
, born on 30 May 1620, and named after Prince Charles
, his godfather. In 1638 he was sent abroad to travel with a governor, visiting Cairo
and Turkey. He returned to England in May 1641, and then served for a campaign under the Prince of Orange
.
On the outbreak of the First English Civil War
he entered the king's troop of guards as a volunteer under the command of Lord Bernard Stuart. At the battle of Edgehill
he distinguished himself and was given the command of the Duke of York
's troop left vacant by the death of George Stewart, 9th Seigneur d'Aubigny
. After a disagreement with an inferior officer, he sought an independent command, and obtained from the king a commission to raise a regiment of horse in the north. He then established himself at Newark
; active against the parliamentarians, he was requested by the king's commissioners for Nottinghamshire
and Lincolnshire
as commander-in-chief, and took on the forces of those two counties, with the rank of colonel-general.
On 23 March 1643 he captured Grantham
, and on 11 April defeated the younger Hotham at Ancaster
, and threatened a break-out into the eastern association area. He received the queen Henrietta Maria at Newark, and escorted her part of her way to Oxford
, taking Burton-on-Trent by assault during the march, 2 July 1643. But attempting to prevent the raising of the siege of Gainsborough
, he was defeated by Oliver Cromwell
, and fell by the hand of James Berry
, Cromwell's captain-lieutenant (28 July 1643). He was buried at Newark; thirty years later his body was moved to Derby, to be interred with his mother.
Battle of Gainsborough
The Battle of Gainsborough was a battle in the English Civil War, fought on 28 July 1643.-Prelude:When the English Civil War was declared, Gainsborough in Lincolnshire lay in an area which supported Parliament, but the town itself had Royalist sympathies...
.
Life
He was second son of William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of DevonshireWilliam Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire was an English courtier and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1614 until 1626 when he succeeded to the peerage and sat in the House of Lords.-Life:...
and his wife Christiana
Christian Cavendish, Countess of Devonshire
Christian Cavendish, Countess of Devonshire was an influential Anglo-Scottish landowner and royalist.-Life:She was the daughter of Edward Bruce, 1st Lord Kinloss. In token of her father's services she received, on her marriage to William Cavendish from King James I a grant of £10,000...
, born on 30 May 1620, and named after Prince Charles
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, his godfather. In 1638 he was sent abroad to travel with a governor, visiting Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and Turkey. He returned to England in May 1641, and then served for a campaign under the Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange is a title of nobility, originally associated with the Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France. In French it is la Principauté d'Orange....
.
On the outbreak of the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
he entered the king's troop of guards as a volunteer under the command of Lord Bernard Stuart. At the battle of Edgehill
Battle of Edgehill
The Battle of Edgehill was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War. It was fought near Edge Hill and Kineton in southern Warwickshire on Sunday, 23 October 1642....
he distinguished himself and was given the command of the Duke of York
Duke of York
The Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
's troop left vacant by the death of George Stewart, 9th Seigneur d'Aubigny
George Stewart, 9th Seigneur d'Aubigny
George Stewart , 9th Seigneur d'Aubigny was a Scottish nobleman and Royalist commander in the English Civil War...
. After a disagreement with an inferior officer, he sought an independent command, and obtained from the king a commission to raise a regiment of horse in the north. He then established himself at Newark
Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
; active against the parliamentarians, he was requested by the king's commissioners for Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
and Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
as commander-in-chief, and took on the forces of those two counties, with the rank of colonel-general.
On 23 March 1643 he captured Grantham
Grantham
Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
, and on 11 April defeated the younger Hotham at Ancaster
Ancaster
Ancaster can refer to any of the following places:* Ancaster, Ontario, Canada* Ancaster, Lincolnshire, England* Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster, last holder of the now-extinct Earldom of Ancaster...
, and threatened a break-out into the eastern association area. He received the queen Henrietta Maria at Newark, and escorted her part of her way to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, taking Burton-on-Trent by assault during the march, 2 July 1643. But attempting to prevent the raising of the siege of Gainsborough
Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
Gainsborough is a town 15 miles north-west of Lincoln on the River Trent within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. At one time it served as an important port with trade downstream to Hull, and was the most inland in England, being more than 55 miles from the North...
, he was defeated by Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
, and fell by the hand of James Berry
James Berry (Major-General)
James Berry was a Parliamentary Major-General who fought in the English Civil War.Berry was a major-general; clerk in ironworks, Shropshire, ca...
, Cromwell's captain-lieutenant (28 July 1643). He was buried at Newark; thirty years later his body was moved to Derby, to be interred with his mother.