On This Day

Oliver Cromwell's English New Model Army defeats a Scottish force in a surprise attack at the Battle of Dunbar

The Battle of Dunbar was fought between the English New Model Army, under Oliver Cromwell, and a Scottish army commanded by David Leslie on 3 September 1650 near Dunbar, Scotland.

The Battle of Dunbar was fought between the English New Model Army, under Oliver Cromwell, and a Scottish army commanded by David Leslie on 3 September 1650 near Dunbar, Scotland. The battle resulted in a decisive victory for the English. It was the first major battle of the 1650 invasion of Scotland.

After Charles I's execution in 1649, the English Rump Parliament established a republican Commonwealth in England. When their erstwhile ally, Scotland, recognised his son Charles II as king of all of Britain on 1 May 1650 and began recruiting an army to support him, the English dispatched the New Model Army, under the command of Cromwell. The army crossed into Scotland on 22 July, with a force of over 16,000 men. The Scots withdrew to Edinburgh, stripping the land of provisions.

Historical Significance

The Battle of Dunbar was fought between the English New Model Army, under Oliver Cromwell, and a Scottish army commanded by David Leslie on 3 September 1650 near Dunbar, Scotland.

Key People

Oliver Cromwell

military and political leader

English military and political leader

Events Before

  1. Francesco Cavalli's opera "Giasone" premieres in Venice (the most popular opera of the 17th century)

    Giasone (Jason) is an opera in three acts and a prologue with music by Francesco Cavalli and a libretto by Giacinto Andrea Cicognini.

  2. The English Rump Parliament votes to put Charles I on trial for treason and other high crimes

    The trial of Charles I took place in January 1649, marking the first time a reigning monarch was tried and executed by his own subjects.

  3. England is declared a Commonwealth by an act of the Rump Parliament, making England a republic for the next 11 years

    Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in...

  4. Philip IV, King of Spain (44) marries his niece Mariana of Austria (14) in Navalcarnero, Spain

    Philip IV, King of Spain (44) marries his niece Mariana of Austria (14) in Navalcarnero, Spain

  5. Sobornoye Ulozheniye of 1649: Russia adopts new code of laws, consolidating serfdom (OS 29 Jan) [1]

    Sobornoye Ulozheniye of 1649: Russia adopts new code of laws, consolidating serfdom (OS 29 Jan) [1]

Events After

  1. French Chief Minister Cardinal Mazarin flees Paris

    French Chief Minister Cardinal Mazarin flees Paris

  2. Flemish missionary Joris van Geel departs for the Congo [1]

    Flemish missionary Joris van Geel departs for the Congo [1]

  3. South Sea dike in Amsterdam breaks after storm

    South Sea dike in Amsterdam breaks after storm

  4. Great earthquake at Cuzco, Peru

    Great earthquake at Cuzco, Peru

  5. Battle of Beresteczko between Poles and Ukrainians starts

    The Battle of Berestechko (28 June – 10 July 1651) was fought between the Cossack Hetmanate and Crimean Khanate against the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth as a part of the Khmelnytsky Uprising.

More from the 1650s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 3, 1650?
The Battle of Dunbar was fought between the English New Model Army, under Oliver Cromwell, and a Scottish army commanded by David Leslie on 3 September 1650 near Dunbar, Scotland. The battle resulted in a decisive victory for the English. It was the first major battle of the 1650 invasion of Scotland.
Why is Oliver Cromwell's English New Model Army defeats a Scottish force in a surpri... significant?
The Battle of Dunbar was fought between the English New Model Army, under Oliver Cromwell, and a Scottish army commanded by David Leslie on 3 September 1650 near Dunbar, Scotland.
Who was involved in Oliver Cromwell's English New Model Army defeats a Scottish force in a surpri...?
Key figures include Oliver Cromwell (military and political leader).

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