On 2 July 1644 the Parliamentarian and Scottish armies defeated Prince Rupert's Royalists at Marston Moor, near York. Cromwell's cavalry played a key role, and the battle is seen as the turning point that ended Royalist control of northern England. The date is in the Julian calendar, which England still used; in today's calendar it was 12 July.
Cromwell's cavalry
The Parliamentarian-Scottish army had about 27,000 men, against about 18,000 Royalists. The allied attack in the evening broke the Royalist cavalry, and the allied infantry destroyed the Royalist foot.1
Royalist losses were about 4,000 killed and 1,500 captured, against 200 to 300 killed on the allied side.
Effects
It was Rupert's first decisive defeat of the war. York surrendered on 16 July. Cromwell's reputation as a cavalry commander was established. › Second Battle of Newbury, 1644
Also on this day
1704: Battle of Schellenberg. Fighting the War of the Spanish Succession, Marlborough's allied army stormed the Franco-Bavarian defenses on the Schellenberg heights above Donauwörth.
Frequently asked questions
When and where was the Battle of Marston Moor?
It was fought on 2 July 1644 near Long Marston, in Yorkshire, England, during the First English Civil War.
Who won the Battle of Marston Moor?
The Parliamentarian and Scottish forces defeated the Royalists of Prince Rupert and the Marquess of Newcastle.
What did Cromwell do there?
His cavalry played a key role in breaking the Royalist horse, and it established his reputation as a cavalry commander.
Notes
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