THE POLITICAL MAKING OF THE NEW MODEL ARMY 1644-1647
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This thesis investigates the origins of the political and religious
movement which developed within the New Model army between March
1647 and May 1649, by examining the preceding period (1644-1647) when
the army was formed and began its activity. It tries to elucidate how an
army, raised with strictly military aims and subjected to a particularly
rigorous discipline, could develop representative structures (General
Council, agitators) and constitutional programmes. As there is relatively
little direct evidence concerning the army's religion and politics before
1647, I have analysed the influences to which the soldiers would have been
subjected.
Two main factors have been isolated, which contributed to the
process of politicisation in the New Model. One concerns the army more
directly and specifically: the propaganda addressed to soldiers by
Parliament (newsbooks, declarations) army commanders and especially
preachers. By instilling a sense of personal commitment to a cause and
justifying resistance of subjects to their King, this propaganda
encouraged the soldiers to think and decide for themselves. This, in turn,
tended to conflict with the unquestioning obedience required by the
military code.
The other factor is more long-term and tends to involve English
society at large. It is a complex of processes taking place in church and
state on the eve and during the civil war. In both spheres a greater
participation of common people in public affairs began to develop. The
spreading of "gathered churches" and the campaign of popular petitions
and demonstrations in 1640-1642 are the most significant examples.
Finally, some attention has been paid to the early manifestations of
a political or religious radical consciousness, in the New Model and other
parliamentary armies. The experience of the latter may also have had an
influence on Fairfax' s army
Authors
Catemario, GabriellaCollections
- Theses [4125]