George Goring (1608–1657)

George Goring was in many ways the archetypal cavalier, often portrayed as possessing all the worst characteristics associated with the followers of King Charles I. He drank copiously, dressed and entertained lavishly, gambled excessively, abandoned his wife frequently, and was quick to resort to swordplay when he felt his honour was at stake. Yet, he was also an active Member of Parliament and a respected soldier, who learnt his trade on the Continent during the Dutch Wars, and put his expertise to good use in support of the royalist cause during the English Civil War. Introduction; 1: Family Fortunes, to 1628; 2: A Young Man of the World, 1628–1633; 3: In the Service of the Dutch, 1633–1637; 4: Service at Portsmouth and in the Bishops' Wars, 1638–1640; 5: Colonel Goring and the Army Plot, November 1640–December 1641; 6: The Outbreak of War: Choosing Sides, 1642; 7: Victory, Defeat and Imprisonment, January 1643–March 1644; 8: Return to the North and Marston Moor, April–July 1644; 9: Campaigning with King Charles at Lostwithiel and Second Newbury, July–October 1644; 10: An Independent Command, November 1644–April 1645; 11: Generalissimo of the West, May–June 1645; 12: Defeat and Withdrawal, July–December 1645; 13: Years of Exile: Sword for Hire, 1646–1657; Conclusion