Dr Peter Gaunt is Reader in History at Chester College, a College of the University of Liverpool. He has published widely on the military, political and constitutional history of mid-seventeenth century England, including 'The British Wars' (Routledge, 1997), and a full length biography of Oliver Cromwell ('Oliver Cromwell', Blackwell, 1996). Peter Gaunt is Chairman of the The Cromwell Association and editor of the annual journal Cromwelliana.

The period 1642-1651, one of the most turbulent in the history of mainland Britian, saw the country torn by civil wars. Focusing on the English and Welsh wars this book examines the causes, course and consequences of the conflicts. While offering a concise military account that assesses the wars in their national, regional and local contexts, Dr Gaunt provides a full appraisal of the severity of the wars and the true extent of the impact on civilian life, highlighting areas of continued historical debate. The personal experiences and biographies of key players are also included in this comprehensive and fascinating account.