Question

Who were the Roundheads?

Answer 1

In the English Civil War, there were two competing factions: the Royalists, who supported the monarch as the supreme authority, and the Parliamentarians, who supported the legislature. When the Parliament was in place, the monarch had the last say and could either adopt or reject laws. The royalists were known as Cavilers, while the parlimentary force was known as the round heads. Oliver Cromwell, the commander of the Roundheads and a Puritan, revolutionized military strategy with his "New Model Army," which ultimately defeated the primarily upper class royalists who were using antiquated strategies to win the war. King Charles was deposed at the end of the conflict, and England remained without a monarch until Cromwell's death. Then, once the monarchy was restored by Parliament, Cromwell's body was unearthed and executed by hanging, drawing, and quartering.

The Attachment Caption:

This well-known painting, titled "When Did You Last See Your Father," depicts men in armor sat around a table asking the son of a royalist where his father is. You can clearly observe the extreme contrast between the clothing worn by each group: the expensive velvets of the youngster and his female relatives desperately hoping he won't give anything away, against auster for the roundheads.