The English Civil War is sometimes spoken of as if it were a single conflict. In fact it was three separate wars, so English Civil Wars is a more correct term. These wars themselves were connected and intertwined with Wars taking place in Scotland and Ireland. The term most often used for all of these conflicts, which covered the period 1639 – 1653, is the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The eight conflicts that make up these wars are listed below:
| Dates | Name of War | Adversaries | Cause | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1639 | First Bishops’ War | England (and Scottish Royalists) and Presbyterians or Covenanters | The nature of the Scottish Church | Ended in a temporary truce |
| 1640 | Second Bishops’ War | England (and Scottish Royalists) and Presbyterians or Covenanters | The nature of the Scottish Church | The covenanters occupied part of North East England, Charles I forced to make terms |
| 1641 | Irish Rebellion | Irish Catholics (Confederates) and British Protestants | Whether Catholics or Protestants were the dominant force and land ownership | Victory for Protestants backed by Charles I, reprisals in Ulster. |
| 1642 – 1648 | The Irish Confederates’ War | Confederates and British Protestants. Late in the conflict Royalists joined with the Confederates | Many disputes including religion, political power, land ownership and the role the English | Indeterminate |
| 1642 – 1646 | First English Civil War | Royalist and Parliamentarians | Balance of power between Parliament and Charles I | Victory for Parliamentarians, Charles I in custody |
| 1648-1649 | Second English Civil War | Royalist and Parliamentarians | Balance of power between Parliament and Charles I | Victory for Parliamentarians, Charles I executed. Commonwealth formed with Cromwell its head. |
| 1649 – 1653 | The Irish Cromwellian War | Parliamentarians and Confederates | Subduing Ireland and making the country a British colony | Victory for the English, Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of the British Isles |
| 1650 – 1652 | The Third English Civil War / Anglo-Scottish War | Presbyterians plus English Royalists and Parliamentarians | The nature of the Scottish Church and the Restoration of the Monarchy | Victory for the Parliamentarians, Cromwell’s rule established |
It is the final conflict in this list that effectively ended with the Battle of Worcester and the flight of Charles. It should be noted that it is part of both the English Civil War and the Anglo Scottish dispute.