John Poyer, the Civil Wars in Pembrokeshire and the British Revolutions

This is the first book-length treatment of the 'turncoat' John Poyer, the man who initiated the Second Civil War through his rebellion in south Wales in 1648. The volume charts Poyer's rise from a humble glover in Pembroke to parliament's most significant supporter in Wales during the First Civil War (1642-6), arguing that Poyer was a more complex and significant individual than most commentators have realised. Poyer's involvement in the poisonous factional politics of the post-war period (1646-8) is examined, and newly discovered material demonstrates how his career offers fresh insights into the relationship between national and local politics in the 1640s, the use of print and publicity by provincial interest groups, and the importance of local factionalism in understanding the course of the civil war in south Wales. The volume also offers a substantial analysis of Poyer's posthumous reputation after his execution by firing squad in April 1649. This is the first book of the turncoat John Poyer, the man who initiated the Second Civil War through his rebellion in south Wales in 1648. John Poyer, the Civil Wars in Pembrokeshire and the British Revolutions charts Poyers rise from a humble glover in Pembroke to parliaments most significant supporter in Wales during the First Civil War (16426), arguing that Poyer was a more complex and significant individual than most commentators have realized. Poyers involvement in the poisonous factional politics of the post-war period (16468) is examined, and newly discovered material demonstrates how his career offers fresh insights into the relationship between national and local politics in the 1640s, the use of print and publicity by provincial interest groups, and the importance of local factionalism in understanding the course of the civil war in south Wales. John Poyer, the Civil Wars in Pembrokeshire and the British Revolutions also offers a substantial analysis of Poyers posthumous reputation after his execution by firing squad in April 1649. "This is the first book-length treatment of the 'turncoat' John Poyer, the man who initiated the Second Civil War through his rebellion in south Wales in 1648. The volume charts Poyer's rise from a humble glover in Pembroke to become parliament's most significant supporter in Wales during the First Civil War (1642-6), and argues that he was a more complex and significant individual than most commentators have realised. Poyer's involvement in the poisonous factional politics of the post-war period (1646-8) is examined, and newly discovered material demonstrates how his career offers fresh insights into the relationship between national and local politics in the 1640s, the use of print and publicity by provincial interest groups, and the importance of local factionalism in understanding the course of the civil war in south Wales. The volume also offers a substantial analysis of Poyer's posthumous reputation after his execution by firing squad in April 1649." Front Cover Half-title Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Map Abbreviations Acknowledgements Preface Chapter 1. The Setting: John Poyer and Early Stuart Pembrokeshire, c.1606–1640 Chapter 2 The Irish Crisis and the Coming of Civil War, 1640–1642 Chapter 3. Allies and Enemies: Poyer and Pembroke during the First Civil War Chapter 4. The Struggle for Supremacy: Poyer and Post-War Politics, 1646–1647 Chapter 5. The Road to Rebellion, August 1647–March 1648 Chapter 6. Poyer, Powell and the Prince, March–April 1648 Chapter 7. The Siege of Pembroke, May–July 1648 Chapter 8. Revenge and Revolution: Poyer, Print and Parliamentary Justice, August 1648–April 1649 Chapter 9. Afterlives Appendix: Timeline of the Civil Wars in Pembrokeshire Notes Bibliography Index