Turncoats and renegadoes : changing sides during the English Civil War / Andrew Hopper.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hopper, Andrew (Andrew James)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Desertion, Military.

History.

Defectors.

Great Britain--History--Civil War, 1642-1649--Desertions.

Great Britain.

Defectors--England--History--17th century.

Desertion, Military--England--History--17th century.

England.

Physical Description:

258 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2012.

Summary:

Turncoats and Renegadoes is the first dedicated study of the practice of changing sides during the English Civil Wars. It examines the extent and significance of side-changing in England and Wales, and includes comparative material from Scotland and Ireland.

The first half of the study identifies side-changers among peers, MPs, army officers, and common soldiers, before reconstructing the chronological and regional patterns to their defections. The second half delivers a cultural history of treachery, by adopting a thematic approach to explore the social and cultural implications of defections, and demonstrating how notions of what constituted a turncoat were culturally constructed. Side-changing came to dominate strategy on both sides at the highest levels. Both sides reviled yet sought to take advantage of the practice, whilst allegations of treachery came to dominate the internal politics of royalists and parliamentarians alike. The language applied to 'turncoats and renegadoes' in contemporary print is discussed and contrasted with the self-justifications of the side-changers themselves as they sought to shape an honourable self-image for their families and posterity. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part I A Profile of Side-Changing in England and Wales, 1642-1646

1 A turncoat aristocracy 19

2 'Ambi-dexter' MPs 42

3 Military professionals: 'renegado' army officers 61

4 Popular allegiance and side-changing among rank-and-file soldiers 78

5 Chronological and regional patterns to side-changing 100

Part II A Cultural History of Side-Changing

6 Political oath-taking and the fear of treachery 121

7 The language of treachery in newsbooks and polemic 141

8 Honour, reputation, and the self-fashioning of elite side-changers 157

9 Trial and execution: defectors and military justice 179.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [228]-244) and index.

ISBN:

9780199575855

0199575851

OCLC:

785869608