Cromwell's War Machine: The New Model Army, 1645-1660

The New Model Army was one of the best-known and most effective armies ever raised in England. Oliver Cromwell was both its greatest battlefield commander and the political leader whose position depended on its support. In this meticulously researched and accessible new study, Keith Roberts describes how Cromwell's army was recruited, inspired, organized, trained and equipped. He sets its strategic and tactical operation in the context of the theory and practice of warface in seventeenth-century Europe, and shows how this highly professional army was unusual for its time. It was born out of civil war, and its officers and men did not see themselves as a 'mere mercenary army', but as soldiers committed to a greater cause. This special sense of identity, combined with strong organization and leadership, created a unique and successful force that is analysed in close detail in Keith Roberts's fascinating account.

The New Model Army was one of the best-known and most effective armies ever raised in England. Oliver Cromwell was both its greatest battlefield commander and the political leader whose position depended on its support. In this meticulously researched and accessible new study, Keith Roberts describes how Cromwell's army was recruited, inspired, organized, trained and equipped. He sets its strategic and tactical operation in the context of the theory and practice of warface in seventeenth-century Europe, and shows how this highly professional army was unusual for its time. It was born out of civil war, and its officers and men did not see themselves as a 'mere mercenary army', but as soldiers committed to a greater cause. This special sense of identity, combined with strong organization and leadership, created a unique and successful force that is analysed in close detail in Keith Roberts's fascinating account.