Prince Rupert of the Rhine was an intrinsic part of the civil wars that devastated the three kingdoms of Stuart Britain.
A nephew of King Charles I, Rupert was both the archetypical royalist hero and parliamentarian villain. In his lifetime, he accumulated at least nine derogatory pseudonyms – from ‘Duke of Plunderland’ to ‘The Diabolical Cavalier’ – with one even coined in 2023.
Such polarising viewpoints and propaganda, along with numerous historical myths, often make it challenging to understand the real Rupert.
Mark Turnbull has used numerous and varied archives to reconstruct the Civil War and Rupert’s part in it. They highlighted historical errors, gave fresh perspectives, and revealed brand-new information. Key myths are examined, and the Prince’s flaws and fame are assessed to produce a balanced and definitive biography.
The women in Rupert’s life have never had the prominence they deserve, partly down to the sad fact that there is a lack of surviving records relating to them. This book has, though, unearthed exciting new details about his lovers Lady Katherine Scott, Frances Bard and Margaret Hughes.
Valuable studies of the Battles of Vlotho (1638) and Powick Bridge (1642) challenge previous historical narratives and help reshape Rupert’s story. Deciphering 380-year-old coded letters provides extra insight into the Prince’s mindset prior to his surrender of Bristol in 1645.
The formal start of the English Civil War is also re-examined in view of two much-overlooked Parliamentary declarations.
Prince Rupert of the Rhine: King Charles I’s Cavalier Commander by Mark Turnbull is published on 30 May, 2025.
Read Mark’s Historia feature about Rupert’s loves, Frances Bard and Margaret (Peg) Hughes.
There are many more historical books in our list of over 170 published this year.
