Thomas Stiles facts for kids
Thomas Stiles was a brave captain who fought for the King's side (the Royalists) during the English Civil War. He came from Walton in Northamptonshire. He was in charge of a place called Crowland from 1642 to 1643. After being held prisoner, he became the leader of a group of horse soldiers, also known as cavalry, based at Belvoir Castle.
Life as a Soldier
Crowland Abbey in Lincolnshire was a place held by the Royalists in 1642. This was the first year of the English Civil War. Captain Stiles was the very first governor, or commander, of this important location.
However, in 1643, forces fighting for Parliament, led by Oliver Cromwell, captured Crowland Abbey. Cromwell then asked for Captain Stiles to be put in prison. Stiles was held in Colchester Castle.
From Prisoner to Commander
After being held for about 18 months, Captain Stiles was finally set free in September 1644. He was exchanged for another captain named Henry Fines. As part of the deal, Stiles had to travel to Peterborough and then to Belvoir Castle.
At Belvoir Castle, Captain Stiles took charge of a group of horse soldiers. Not long after he arrived, his soldiers tried to help the Royalist fighters at Crowland. But they were stopped by Parliament's forces, led by Charles Fleetwood and Thomas Fairfax.
Captain Stiles kept his command until the end of the first part of the Civil War. The Royalist forces in his area surrendered on May 6, 1646. This happened after the King, Charles I, told them to give up.
After the War Ended
Once the first Civil War was over, Captain Stiles's property was taken away by the government. This was called being "sequestrated." He then had to pay a fine to get his lands back. This process was known as "compounding."
In 1655, which was a time of some trouble in England, Stiles had to promise to be on his best behavior. He had to provide a large sum of money, £1,000, as a guarantee for his good conduct.
In 1662, after the King was back on the throne (this was called the Restoration), Captain Stiles asked for help. He sent a request to a group that was helping loyal officers who had served the King.
Captain Stiles passed away around the year 1678.
His Family
Thomas Stiles was married to a woman named Lucy.
