Synopses & Reviews
To his fellow Royalists fighting for King Charles I, Prince Rupert of the Rhine was the archetypal cavalier. Young, handsome, an expert horseman, and a crack pistol shot, his swaggering style irritated the stuffier of the king's courtiers almost as much as the Roundheads they were fighting. To the parliamentarians, above all Oliver Cromwell, he was the ultimate "malignant," one of those Royalists who fought on even after Charles was executed in 1649. Rupert commanded the Royalist forces in exile, who were one point reduced to little more than pirates before the triumphant restoration of the monarchy in 1660. In this thoroughly researched account, Prince Rupert is revealed as more than just a great general and dashing cavalier. He was a scientist and classical scholar, a true renaissance prince. From his dramatic childhood escape through the snows of Bohemia to his later life as a respected older statesman, this is the first comprehensive biography of the greatest cavalier of them all.
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"Pacey and perceptive . . . Written with all the zest of a Flashman novel, this biography is a delight to read" —The Mail on Sunday
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"This is a fine book that portrays Rupert as a fascinating figure who was more than the ultimate cavalier, dashing but doomed." —Good Book Guide
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“Not only a highly accomplished account of the battle and its wider consequences, but also a shrewd and persuasive reassessment of the personalities involved.” —Sunday Telegraph
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"Pacy and enjoyable . . . this is a fine, intelligent, patriotic book which deserves to be read." —Spectator
Synopsis
King Charles's Pirate Prince
To his fellow Royalists, fighting for King Charles I, Prince Rupert of the Rhine was the archetypal 'cavalier'. Young, handsome, expert horseman, crack pistol shot, his swaggering style irritated the stuffier of the king's courtiers almost as much as the 'Roundheads' they were fighting. To the parliamentarians, above all Oliver Cromwell, he was the ultimate 'malignant', one of those Royalists who fought on even after Charles was executed in 1649. Rupert commanded the Royalist forces in exile, at one point reduced to little more than pirates before the triumphant restoration of the monarchy in 1660.
In Charles Spencer's thoroughly researched account, Prince Rupert is revealed as more than just a great general and dashing cavalier. He was a scientist and classical scholar too: a true renaissance prince. From his dramatic childhood escape through the snows of Bohemia to respected older statesman, this is the first comprehensive biography of the greatest cavalier of them all.
About the Author
Charles Spencer achieved worldwide attention after speaking passionately at the funeral of his sister Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997. His previous works are Althorp and The Spencer Family.