Oliver Cromwell
Search results
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron (17 January 1612 – 12 November 1671), also known as Sir Thomas Fairfax, [1] was an English politician, general and Parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War.
A British peer, military officer and planter who owned the Northern Neck Proprietary in Virginia. He was a Loyalist during the American Revolution and a friend of George Washington, who surveyed his lands and inherited his title.
- Early Career
- The First Years of The Civil War
- Marston Moor
- The Debacle at Newbury
- The New Model Army
- The Fall of Bristol & Final Victory
- The Second Civil War
- Distancing from Cromwell
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
Thomas Fairfax was born in Denton, North Yorkshire on 17 January 1612, his father being the military commander Ferdinando Fairfax, 2nd Baron Fairfax of Cameron. Thomas was educated at the University of Cambridge, and he gained military experience in the Netherlands fighting against the Spanish from 1629 to 1631. He then returned home and became a c...
When king Charles wrangled with Parliament over money and religious reforms, a civil war broke out in 1641. Fairfax sided with the Parliamentarians and continued to command his cavalry within the Northern army. Successes of 1643 included the capture of Leeds and Wakefield, but under the command of his father Lord Fairfax, the Parliamentarians suffe...
Fairfax led a cavalry unit at the Battle of Marston Moor near York on 2 July 1644. It was one of the largest battles of the war and likely involved over 45,000 men. The Royalists were commanded by Prince Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine and Duke of Bavaria (l. 1619-1682), Charles' nephew, and he rashly decided to attack three Parliamentarian arm...
Fairfax's military career was going well, but it really took off following the indecisive Second Battle of Newburyon 27 October 1644. Despite the Parliamentarians enjoying a 2:1 numerical superiority over the Royalist army led in person by Charles, they could not press their advantage, and the king retreated to fight another day. The Parliamentaria...
Fairfax could call upon 24 regiments of the New Model Army as well as smaller additional forces from elsewhere. The Commander-in-Chief was assisted by the Lieutenant-General of the Horse, the Sergeant-Major-General of the Foot, and the Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, who commanded respectively the cavalry, infantry, and artillery regiments. Bel...
In July 1645, Fairfax faced and defeated an army led by Lord Goring near Langport in Somerset. The Parliamentary army had an advantage of 10,000 v. 7,000 men, and Fairfax made it count. Next, Fairfax set his sights on Bristol, a vital Royalist stronghold and second only to London as England's most important port. The siege of Bristol in 1645 began ...
The First English Civil War (1642-1646) was over, but King Charles, now in Scotland, refused to give up. With promises to promote the Presbyterian Church in England, he persuaded a Scottish army to invade in what became known as the Second English Civil War (Feb-Aug 1648). Fairfax commanded the Parliamentarian troops in Kent and Essex, where Englis...
Charles II then persuaded the Scots to invade England in a second restoration attempt, just as they had with his father two years before. Fairfax refused to lead the Parliamentarian army against Scotland. Not only did he not agree with the regicide but he had, after all, recently inherited his family title, a Scottish peerage. General Fairfax resig...
Learn about the life and achievements of Sir Thomas Fairfax, the first and successful commander of the Parliamentarian New Model Army during the English Civil Wars. Find out how he defeated the Royalists at the Battle of Naseby and became the Lord General of Parliament's Forces.
- Mark Cartwright
Learn about the English general who commanded the Parliamentary army during the Civil Wars and helped restore Parliamentary rule. Find out his biography, achievements, and controversies in this article by Britannica.com.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Learn about Thomas Fairfax, a leading commander of the New Model Army in the English Civil War. He fought for Parliament against Charles I, but supported his restoration in 1660.
Thomas, Baron Cameron, sixth Lord Fairfax, was George Washington's mentor, neighbor, employer, and friend. The relationship between the two stretched from Washington's teenage years until the end of the baron's life.
People also ask
Who was Thomas Fairfax?
Where was Thomas Fairfax born?
What happened to Thomas Fairfax?
Who was Lord Fairfax?
Learn about the life and career of Thomas Fairfax, the most important general of the British Civil Wars. He led Parliament's forces to victory at Naseby, but also supported the Restoration of King Charles II.
