Prince Rupert of the Rhine
by
Mark Turnbull
Prince Rupert of the Rhine was an intrinsic part of the civil wars that devastated the three kingdoms of Stuart Britain.
A nephew of King Charles I, Rupert was both the archetypical royalist hero and parliamentarian villain. In his lifetime, he accumulated at least nine derogatory pseudonyms – from ‘Duke of Plunderland’ to ‘The Diabolical Cavalier’ – with one even coined in 2023. Such polarising viewpoints and propaganda, along with numerous historical myths, often make it challenging to understand the real Rupert.
When approaching this biography, Mark Turnbull delved into numerous and varied archives to reconstruct a tapestry of the Civil War and Rupert’s part in it. This highlighted historical errors, gave fresh perspectives, and revealed brand-new information. Key myths are examined, and the prince’s flaws and fame are assessed to produce a balanced and definitive biography.
The women in Rupert’s life have never had the prominence they deserve, partly down to the sad fact that there is a lack of surviving records relating to them. That said, Mark’s research has managed to unearth exciting new details about his lover, Lady Katherine Scott, together with mistresses Frances Bard and Margaret Hughes.
Valuable studies of the Battles of Vlotho (1638) and Powick Bridge (1642) challenge previous historical narratives and help reshape Rupert’s story. Deciphering 380-year-old coded letters provides extra insight into the prince’s mindset prior to his surrender of Bristol in 1645. Additionally, the formal start of the English Civil War is re-examined in view of two much-overlooked Parliamentary declarations.
It has been 17 years since the last biography of Prince Rupert. This ground-breaking book gets to the heart of the man and provides not only a new understanding of him but also of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
Read my Five Star Review:
In Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Mark Turnbull offers an impressively detailed and long-overdue reappraisal of one of the most fascinating figures of the English Civil Wars. Drawing on a vast array of primary sources, including fascinating newly discovered research of his own, Turnbull presents a richly nuanced portrait of Prince Rupert. His biography cuts through centuries of myth-making, political propaganda, and selective misquotation to challenge the enduring image of Rupert as merely a swashbuckling cavalier…(read more)
After a visit to Helmsley Castle at the age of 10, Mark Turnbull bought a pack of ‘top trump’ cards featuring the monarchs of England. The card portraying King Charles I fascinated him.
Van Dyck’s regal portrait of the King and the fact that he was executed by his own people were the beginnings of Mark’s passionate interest in the English Civil War that has lasted ever since.
In the absence of time travel, he thoroughly enjoys bringing this period to life through writing. He has written articles for magazines, local newspapers and online educational sites and used to re-enact battles with The Sealed Knot.
Mark is an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He also produces a War of the Three Kingdoms podcast called ‘CavalierCast – The Civil War in Words’. This was the first (and is is the longest running) podcast solely dedicated to the civil wars. It explores a variety of topics with leading historians and authors.
He is one of the co-founders (with Dr Erica Canela and Andrea Zuvich) of the Stuart History Festival, the world’s first-ever festival dedicated to Stuart history.
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