This animated and sometimes impassioned account of the English Civil War and revolution discloses the fractured mosaic of English society: the war between King and Parliament; the quarrels and debates within the Army; the Army takeover of Parliament; the attempted counter-revolution in the City of London; and the intense factionalism which prevented the cessation of war from becoming a settled peace. The author also explores the symbolism of Charles I's execution, the 'Great Debates' about the proper limits of the King's authority and his obligations to God, Parliament and the people, and the 'great divide' in English politics which makes neutral writing about this period impossible. A book for undergraduates and the general reader, it also offers insights to the well-informed.