Charles Lucas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Charles Lucas
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Sir Charles Lucas
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1613 Colchester, Essex |
| Died | 28 August 1648 (aged 35) Colchester, Essex |
| Resting place | St. Giles's Church, Colchester (now St. Giles Masonic Centre) |
| Nationality | English |
| Alma mater | Christ's College, Cambridge |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Royalists |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Battles/wars | |
Sir Charles Lucas (1613 – 28 August 1648) was an English soldier from Essex. He was a brave leader for the Royalists, who supported King Charles I during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. These wars were a series of conflicts across Britain and Ireland in the mid-1600s.
Lucas was captured at the end of the First English Civil War in 1646. He was set free after promising not to fight against Parliament again. However, he broke this promise when the Second English Civil War started in 1648. Because of this, he was put to death after being captured at the Siege of Colchester in August 1648. After the King's family returned to power in 1660, Lucas was seen as a hero for the Royalist cause.
A famous Royalist historian, Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, described Lucas as "a bit grumpy and proud". But he also said Lucas was "a brave and inspiring leader" in battle. Lucas was known as a skilled cavalry (horseback soldiers) commander. He was also known for his quick temper. He is mostly remembered for how he died.
Who Was Charles Lucas?
Charles Lucas was born in Colchester, Essex, in 1613. He was the youngest son of Sir Thomas Lucas and Elizabeth. He had seven brothers and sisters. His older brother, John, inherited the family's land.
One of his younger sisters, Margaret, became a well-known writer and scientist. In 1645, she married William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle. He was a Royalist commander in northern England during the wars.
His Military Career
As a young man, Charles Lucas fought in a war in Europe called the Eighty Years War. He served under his brother John. Later, he led a group of cavalry soldiers for King Charles I in the Bishops' Wars (1639-1640). He was made a knight in 1639.
When the First English Civil War began in August 1642, Lucas joined the King's army. He was hurt at the Battle of Powick Bridge, which was one of the first big fights of the war.
In 1643, Lucas formed his own cavalry group. He won a battle at Padbury on July 1. In January 1644, he led attacks on Nottingham. Later, he became a top general for the Duke of Newcastle's army in the north.
At the Battle of Marston Moor in July 1644, Lucas's cavalry fought bravely. But the Royalists lost this important battle, and Lucas was captured. He was later exchanged for Parliamentarian prisoners. In December 1645, he defended Berkeley Castle. He was captured again in March 1646 at the Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold. This was the last major battle of the First Civil War.
After his capture, Lucas was released. He promised not to fight against Parliament again. In March 1648, he made an agreement to get his family's land back. He also swore loyalty to Parliament. However, when the Second English Civil War started in May 1648, he broke both promises. He played a big part in taking control of Colchester. After a three-month long fight called the Siege of Colchester, the town gave up on August 28, 1648.
His Execution
On June 20, 1648, Parliament had said that anyone who fought in the Second Civil War was guilty of a very serious crime against the government. When Colchester surrendered, the Royalist commanders, including Lucas, had to "render themselves to mercy." This meant their lives were not guaranteed. The other soldiers were given "quarter," which meant their lives were safe.
The Parliamentarian army leaders were very angry about the long fight at Colchester. They did not want to forgive those who had started a second war, especially soldiers like Lucas who had already been pardoned once.
Some noble commanders were sent to Tower of London for trial. But Lucas and another commander, Sir George Lisle, were sentenced to death by a military court. General Henry Ireton said this was fair because of Parliament's ruling in June. Lucas knew he had broken his promise and did not expect to be pardoned again. He argued that he had fought for his King and the laws of the country.
His fate was sealed when two soldiers said that Lucas had ordered the killing of over 20 men after they surrendered in 1645.
Another commander, Bernardo Gascoigne, was from Florence, Italy. Parliament decided to spare him because they didn't want to upset a foreign country. But Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle were executed by a firing squad on August 28, 1648. This happened in the castle yard at Colchester. They were buried in the Lucas family tomb at St. Giles's Church.
Twelve years later, on June 7, 1661, Lucas and Lisle were reburied in a special ceremony. A stone was placed on their tombs by Lucas's brother, John. The stone said they were "barbarously murdered" by Sir Thomas Fairfax's command. However, Fairfax had acted legally according to the rules of war at the time.
His Reputation
Charles Lucas was known as one of the best cavalry leaders in the King's army. Even Clarendon, who found him difficult off the battlefield, called him "very brave" and "a gallant man to look upon and follow" in battle.
His sister, Margaret, wrote that Lucas "naturally had a practical genius to the warlike arts." She meant he was naturally talented at military things. She also said his life ended before he could become truly perfect at it. He wrote a book called Treatise of the Arts of War, but it was written in a secret code and was never published. Lucas was also very devoted to the King's cause.
Images for kids
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This monument at Colchester Castle remembers Lucas and Lisle.
