Prince Rupert: The Last Cavalier

by Charles Spencer

Prince Rupert is best known as the poster boy of the Royalist cause. He was the dynamic leader of Charles I's Cavaliers – the fearless champion of the King.

In this new exploration Charles Spencer follows the prince from his exile and three years a prisoner of war, to his exhilarating years in the Civil War.

After Royalist defeat Rupert served Louis XIV, before leading Charles's navy against Cromwell's, in the Caribbean and Africa. Repeatedly wounded, he survived some of the more gruesome medical procedures of the time.

Artist, scientist, adventurer, lover, inventor and admiral, Rupert's life was on of extraordinary range and depth (he was, in Samuel Pepys's view, the best tennis player in England). Charles Spencer paints a compelling portrait of an intriguing individual and a helter-skelter existence, giving a fresh face to the archetypal cavalier.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, English Civil War, 17th Century, Civil War, Royalty

464 pages, Paperback

First published June 12, 2007

Reviews

[Orsolya · Rating 3 out of 5]

The figure of Prince Rupert of the Rhine often hovers just off the center of Civil War/Restoration-era Stuart England history (almost quite literally as Rupert was 6’4” in height which was 9” above the average for that time). Yet, even though his name comes up time and time again; his life story and biography isn’t definitive and has notably been bypassed, in general. Charles Spencer aims to remedy this and introduce the princely nephew of King Charles I in, “Prince Rupert: The Last Cavalier”.

Spencer’s efforts to portray Prince Rupert and bring him the attention he rightfully deserves is somewhat missing its intended target. Rather than be a traditional biography, “Prince Rupert” is more of a political focus with the forefront showcasing military machinations during the civil wars that affected the Stuart family. Spencer’s writing is an academic prose absent with any biases or emotion in the text which can be off-putting for those readers seeking a more narrative feel to their history. “Prince Rupert” can lean towards being described as ‘dry’.

In fact, as a consequence, “Prince Rupert” is often not even really about Rupert at all except for his political role and therefore readers only experience a history recap rather than live with Rupert or get an insight into the man or his psyche. “Prince Rupert” is a fascinating piece if looking to learn about the events of the period but much is absent if hoping for an actual Rupert biography.

On the other hand, “Prince Rupert” is thoroughly researched with the inclusion of several primary-source documents. One can’t accuse Spencer of not having attention-to-detail. Readers even familiar with the subject will learn new facts, gain insight, and experience fresh angles. In this way, some of Rupert’s life does begin to shine, by default.

With all these complaints being said; “Prince Rupert” does, however, encompass a riveting strand with stories and tidbits not discussed elsewhere, a focus on Rupert’s relationship with his brother Prince Maurice, and alternate views to his role in relation to King Charles I and II. All of this material is compelling and worthy of merit therefore adding to layers and the strength of Spencer’s writing.

After “Prince Rupert” hits the 200-page mark, Spencer dives a bit more into the personal factions of Rupert’s life and brings a bit more of the social gossip to the center stage. However, this quickly fades and returns to the overall obsession with the political forays surrounding Rupert. Once again, Spencer does successfully highlight interesting factoids and/or unknown story angles but the main point is that Rupert gets lost in the fray when “Prince Rupert” is supposed to be his book. In this sense, “Prince Rupert” is a weak piece.

The conclusion of “Prince Rupert” is VERY abrupt and best described as ‘passed over’. Spencer describes Rupert’s death as equally nonchalantly as talking about a biscuit. The pages lack any emotional pull or memorable send-off again solidifying that “Prince Rupert” is hardly even about Rupert. Basically, “Prince Rupert” is wrapped-up in a poorly-executed fashion without any heavy meaning.

Spencer supplements “Prince Rupert” with two sections of color photo plates, a ‘Notes’ section (although not annotated), and a list of sources.

“Prince Rupert” is a heavily-researched, credible piece that takes a scholarly look at the environment surrounding Rupert and the Civil War-era of Stuart England. The main downfalls of Spencer’s writing are the dry tone, lack of focus, and the failure to truly highlight the Prince. “Prince Rupert” is not a casual text and is only recommended for those readers highly interested in Rupert and Stuart England.

[Jill H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent biography of the last Cavalier, written by Charles, Earl Spencer. Prince Rupert fought for the Royalists as Charles I was being overthrown in the Civil War. He continued to be a supporter of the royal dynasty even after the King was executed. He came back to England when Charles II took the throne and was a respected advisor to the King. A very interesting man in a time of unrest and revolution in England. Recommended.

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

There isn't, technically, a map at the front, but there are several maps, and they serve the map-in-the-front purpose, so . . . so there. Also, not an actual selection of the SILS book club, but the club chose Biography/Memoir for this month's reading theme, and I picked this one because I remembered Prince Rupert of the Rhine as an intriguing figure in my awesome Stuart England class from undergrad.

Which memory, by the way, was spot-on. This exhaustively researched and well-cited book follows Rupert through the sixty-two years of his life, in which he was not only the most renowned and glamorous Royalist officer of the English Civil War, but:
- a naval commander and a Royalist-sponsored privateer (as in PIRATE)
- a scientist who invented precursors to the revolver, the machine gun, and the torpedo
- an artist credited with the refinement of mezzotint engraving (possibly even its invention) and its introduction to England
- a husband and father
- one of the four best tennis players in Europe
And more!
(Also, and this was kind of a funny thing to keep in mind through the book, at 6'4", Rupert was nine inches taller than the average man of the time. Especially funny that one time when he wanted to accompany the king on a secret undercover mission, and the king was like, "Um, no.")

The book is pretty academic, not going to lie, but it isn't dry. Plus, it has some amazing - and sometimes hilarious - stuff drawn directly from letters, diaries, and pamphlets of contemporaries. Excerpts from some of the outrageously demonizing pamphlets about Rupert, for example (and the word of contemporaries on both sides of the Civil War indicating that his reputation as a plunderer, let alone a devil, was undeserved - one enemy commander who had been forced to surrender to the prince actually sent a letter asking that the pamphleteers be stopped from spreading lies about Rupert after the prince forcibly stopped his men from looting the defeated soldiers, then apologized sincerely for their efforts to do so).

Like the Stuart England class that inspired me to read it, this book takes time when a significant figure appears to describe that person's background, reputation, and (where interesting) appearance - as with one commander under whom Rupert served in France who had sixty war wounds and was missing an arm, a leg, an eye, and an ear. This all makes things waaay more interesting. Plus, there are nice photos of portraits of some of the people, and let me tell you, Prince Rupert (pre-mustache) was all KINDS of hot.

I like that the author resolves from the beginning not to spend more than a third of the book on Rupert's Civil War years - as he points out, that's only four years out of sixty-two, and Rupert did a lot of other things. And the fun citations continue, including a diary entry from Rupert's sister on the over-the-top love quadrangle into which Rupert totally unwittingly stumbled while staying with his brother and sister-in-law, and in which his intention was at one point given away by his violent blushing. (Later, when he met the woman who would become his wife - an actress with no rank or wealth and who had a somewhat scandalous past - Rupert, by this time a grizzled commander whom everyone seemed to find somewhat scary, provided vast entertainment for the court by becoming totally love-stricken and, as the biographer here describes him, "skittish." All together now: awwww.)

Okay, seriously, I pretty much just want to list all the awesome things that happen in this book, but there are too many. So, if you like biographies, you know, read it.

[Elizabeth Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm afraid I abandoned this one. It was rather dry, though interesting and I didn't find Rupert as interesting a character as I had thought he would be. I was intrigued as I had always thought of him as a rather dashing individual, but he didn't come across that way. I was probably more disappointed in the character than in the book. Don't let it put you off.

[Ivona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nu știu cum se face, dar în trecut, nu era suficient să excelezi doar într-un domeniu. Desigur, puteai să fii militar de profesie, medic sau avocat, dar în general marile personalități excelau în mai multe domenii. Chestiune de educație, dar mai ales de autoeducație, de permanență căutare, de curiozitate, de împlinire prin cunoaștere. L-am descoperit întâmplător pe prințul Rupert al Rinului, în timp ce mă documentam pentru o serie de articole despre istoria pirateriei în Caraibe. Istoria e de cele mai multe ori necruțătoare cu cei care au scris-o din a doua linie și cu învinșii. Când ne gândim la Războiul Civil Englez, primul care ne vine în minte e marele învingător Oliver Cromwell și, poate, Sir Thomas, Lord Fairfax. Cei care în copilărie am trăit cu sufletul la gură aventurile mușchetarilor lui Dumas, uităm însă mai greu de marele învins, Carol I al Angliei, primul rege judecat și executat pentru înaltă trădare din istoria Angliei. Dar cine au fost cei care l-au sprijinit pe rege, cei care au luptat pentru el? Ce s-a întâmplat cu ei după ce cauza lor a părut cu desăvârșire pierdută?

Prințul Rupert al Rinului a fost, putem spune, brațul înarmat al regelui. Dar a fost el doar un prinț străin, un soldat nemilos însetat de sânge sau a fost victima unei neobosite propagande a Parlamentului care l-a prezentat în acest fel? Cine a fost cu adevărat cel pe care propaganda parlamentară l-a ridicat la o dimensiune aproape mitică, atribuindu-i puteri magice? Cine a fost acest prinț care a pierdut aproape toate bătăliile importante deși era unul dintre cei mai înzestrați și capabili militari ai epocii sale? Cine a fost cel care în ciuda a tot s-a încăpățânat să păstreze ridicată flamura regaliștilor englezi, luptând chiar și împotriva fratelui său mai mare, Carol Ludovic, care în speranța de a obține sprijin pentru redobândirea pământurilor familiei a ales tabăra parlamentarilor? Personalitate extrem de complexă și fascinantă, prințul Rupert al Rinului m-a fermecat din primul moment în care am văzut portretul realizat de Gerard van Honthorst. De când l-am descoperit pe Manfred von Richthofen nu am mai fost atât de fascinată de un neamț. Adevărul e că, din foarte multe puncte de vedere, personalitatea prințului Rupert este asemănătoare cu cea a Baronului Roșu, asul aviației germane din Primul Război Mondial. Și unuia, și altuia îi plăcea ca inamicul să știe cu cine are de-a face. Dar cine a fost până la urmă prințul Rupert al Rinului?

Cel mai fidel cavaler al monarhiei engleze, pirat, amiral al Marinei Regale Engleze în timpul Restaurației, sportiv împătimit, tenismen desăvârșit, artist, om de știință și inventator, membru fondator al Royal Society, fondator al Companiei Hudson’s Bay din Canada, guvernator colonial, unul dintre cei mai frumoși bărbați ai acelor timpuri, amant și iubit al uneia dintre primele actrițe profesioniste din Anglia, supraviețuitor a două dintre cele mai sângeroase războaie ale acelor timpuri – Războiul de Treizeci de Ani și Războiul Civil Englez -, cea mai criticată personalitate istorică în jurnalul contemporanului său Samuel Pepys, suflet zbuciumat, veșnic dedicat trup și suflet unor cauze care păreau pierdute, viața prințului Rupert al Rinului, Duce de Cumberland și Conte de Holderness, bate orice scenariu de film. În volumul “Prince Rupert. The Last Cavalier”, istoricul Lord Charles Spencer – fratele regretatei Diana, Prințesă de Wales -, trece dincolo de faima de militar dobândită în timpul Războiului Civil Englez, încearcând să surpindă întreaga dimensiune a prințului.

Mai multe amanunte pe blog - http://www.dinmansarda.com/printul-ru...

[Manol Glishev · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would be dull and inexpressive to say that the book is a comprehensive biography. In fact, it's a moving account of the life of a largely unsuccessful general, a rather lucky survivor, a man of honour, and an accomplished artist and inventor. There are many biographies of Prince Rupert but this one deserves a calm, attentive reading. It's so good that it's almost a novel.

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland was born in Prague, Bohemia, Holy Roman Empire in 1619. His parents were Elizabeth Stuart and Frederick V of Palatinate. Rupert's father was strongly supported by Protestants, and was elected King by the Protestant areas of Bohemia. The Habsburgs were staunchly Catholic and viewed this as an act of rebellion, thrusting the area into war. He was largely ignored by his parents as a child, and as a teenager he participated in several battles during the Thirty Years War. He went on to fight in the English Civil War, impressing everyone with his military prowess and fearlessness in battle. He continued to serve after the Restoration, even after his military career ended. He was very involved in politics and governmental affairs. He was also extremely interested and involved in the arts and sciences. He died in 1682, and is buried in Westminster Abbey.

I bought this book at McKay's Chattanooga, and paid a dollar for it. I have had this book on my shelf for an obscene amount of time. In my effort to read all of my unread books and downsize before moving, I finally got around to reading this book. I had never heard of Prince Rupert before reading this, and I learned a great deal about him. This book was well written and well researched, and I appreciated all of the facts and resources the author used in its creation.

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read much about the English Civil War or Restoration, so I hadn't heard of Prince Rupert before. An engaging biography, albeit a little heavy (necessarily so, but still...) on military history for my taste.

Favorite line (speaking of Charles II's childless wife, Catharine of Braganza): "Catharine's physician encouraged dancing, believing it would jiggle the queen's reproductive system and help her to conceive." (Alas, it didn't.)

[Alan Sharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Born into the most dramatic of circumstances, the story of Prince Rupert of the Rhine cuts a swathe through seventeenth century history and divides opinion like almost no other. Dashing, handsome, daring and courageous, his exploits are often the stuff of boys own adventure, and his headlong cavalry charges have been described as tactical genius and deeply foolhardy in almost equal measures.

Spencer does not try to hide his admiration for the man in this biography, but he also doesn’t attempt to put on unnecessary gloss. He begins by explaining that most books about Rupert concentrate on his English Civil War exploits, and so he has very deliberately chosen to concentrate only one third of the book on that aspect of his life, in order to paint a more rounded picture.

The third son of Frederick V, Elector of Palatine, when he was born Rupert’s father had just been declared King of Bohemia in the wake of the Defenestration of Prague, and as a result Rupert was born in Prague castle. However his father’s reign lasted just one year, precipitating the Thirty Years War, the most devastating conflict in European history, and most of his childhood was spent in exile in The Hague, at the court of his mother, Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of James VI and I.

This relationship would inform most of his adult life, almost all of it spent in the service of two English kings, his uncle Charles I and his cousin Charles II. For the former he fought bravely on the Civil War battlefields of Edgehill, Marston Moor and Naseby among others. For the latter he became a privateer in the Caribbean, and later commanded his navy during the Anglo-Dutch wars.

Along the way he also somehow found the time to improve himself as a scholar, scientist and shrewd businessman, being involved in the foundation of both the Royal Society and the Hudson Bay Company. He rubbed shoulders with Samuel Pepys, Isaac Newton and Nell Gwynne, and fathered a child by Peg Hughes, the first actress to tread the English stage.

Spencer has delved deep into all these aspects of his life and paints a picture of a man fiercely loyal to his friends and uncompromising towards those who cross him. The book celebrates his successes and failures with equal vigour, concluding that he was an excellent leader of men but only a middling tactician and a poor politician.

This is a thoroughly well researched book, as all of Spencer’s tend to be, but as usual he never forgets to also make it an entertaining read, telling it as a story rather than simply reciting dry facts. Characters like Charles I, his great rival George Digby and his brother Maurice are brought to life rather than just being presented as background detail. It’s maybe not quite up to the standard of Killers of the King, his previous book set in the same time period, but it comes close.

[Rob Laan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not my type of biography. The author lists the ‘what happened where’ about Rupert with some literary flourish, but we never get a real insight into his character, into how Rupert himself experienced all of this. His love life is compacted into one short chapter; his long time mistress, his son and daughter are hardly ever mentioned in the rest of the book, although we are told that he is a doting father. We are told that Rupert is always short of cash, gets involved in the successful Hudson Bay Company, but we are never told how that changes his money situation. Where facts are lacking the author uses his imagination to fill in the blanks to make a good story. The author seems to very biased towards Rupert; e.g. Samuel Pepys, who is critical of Rupert, is painted as a little man with an inferiority complex. The wars with the Dutch are painted in a chauvinistic way, perhaps still believing 17th century English propaganda. The only short critical evaluation of the man is in the closing chapter, which is a bit at odds with the rest of the book.

Having said that, the book is a comfortable read about man who had a very interesting life. If you don’t feel the need to go deeper into Rupert’s personality, if you can forgive some inconsistencies and lack of follow-up, then this may be a good read for you.

[Martin Pilkington · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is a Royalist, maybe there are members of the current Royal Family that he doesn't like, but he's a Royalist. From a sentence at the end of chapter 26, I get a strong feeling that he's Stuart Royalist: "This was the platform that William of Orange was able to build on when he stole the English throne in 1688 to become William III."

This is written very much from the Royalist perspective, as perhaps you'd expect, it isn't totally black and white but it is largely Royalists, good, Parliamentarians, bad. But in the main it is well written and the story itself is fascinating, if you are at all interested in the period.

However it's not a perfect book, for the sake of a quote he wants to get in, the author will introduce someone in terms that made me feel that this is someone who has been previously introduced in the book, and it's the only time that they are mentioned. Some of the quotes go on for too long and confused me at I was reading. Also apart from maps there are no illustrations. You have the picture of Rupert on the cover and that is it.

Good topic let down somewhat, in my opinion, by the author.

[Isen · Rating 3 out of 5]

We covered early Stuart England in 7th Form history. It's a crucial period in the development of English Parliamentarianism, but perhaps not the most exciting fare for a teenager who just discovered Paradox Interactive. After a long slog through variously addled parliaments and budget deficits we finally reached the Civil War, where the textbook mentioned that King Charles called upon some guy called Prince Rupert for help. Not a prince with an army, mind you, just some prince. And out of nowhere the narrative of political tension and economic crisis takes a hard left, and turns to a top ten anime showdown between Rupert and Cromwell. It was pretty bizarre.

An uncomfortable number of years later, I finally got around to reading a biography of the guy. It's well written and reads easily, telling the tale of a guy who, in the grand scheme of things, was neither particularly important nor successful, but lived an interesting life during an interesting period of history. It'd be better as a novel, but still pretty good.

[Andrew Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent biography of a figure that seems to be overlooked by many historians. He is mainly regarded for his part in the English Civil War but there was so much more to his story. I wanted to learn more about the man who gave his name to a part of Leicester Castle known as Rupert's Gateway in my hometown, and I certainly wasn't disappointed. His part in the military actions of the Civil War are thoroughly discussed but it was also fascinating to read about his interest in the science of the day. A head wound in battle led to Rupert undergoing operations of trepanning, which are described in great detail. He also became involved in piracy and a naval life which brought him into contact with Samuel Pepys who seemed to have nothing but contempt and hatred for Rupert. Overall this is a book that is well worth reading.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know anything about Prince Rupert when I started reading this book. I’m generally interested in the Restoration period, so I thought that reading this historical biography would enhance my understanding of the era. The book provides a well balanced and well researched history of the life and times of Prince Rupert. I had hoped it might be a fun read, but I found it very dry, and I felt that excessive detail was provided which digressed from the remit of a biography (3.5/5)

[Susan Grimshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well written and readable biography of a charismatic and multi talented seventeenth century figure who often seems to have not quite achieved his potential, sometimes through no fault of his own. Even centuries later one feels a great sorrow for him losing his beloved poodle, Boy, at Marston Moor. Rupert has always been my Cavalier hero.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite an interesting read. Prince Rupert of the Rhine was thus far one of those random historical figures whose name I occasionally came across but about whom I knew absolutely nothing beyond that, so I enjoyed learning about his life and how he fits into historical events in 17th century Europe.

[Laura L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative but tedious reading at times

A useful examination of a tumultuous life filled with adventure, success, but also disappointing failures. Spencer tells the story, but loses too much of the drama.

[Mary]

fabulous, actio packed and fact filled. could not put it down. historical but not stuffy. rich characters. could really feel how Rupert never fit in anywhere. enjoyed every word.

[Lynne Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly detailed biography of a somewhat elusive yet beloved 17th Century royal. The book is well-researched and easy to read for those interested in the subject matter.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a badass.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The three stars is for me, not for Spencer. I don't care for battle scenes, and I knew little about this period. But Spencer is a very good writer, and Prince Rupert an intriguing fellow.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who prefers to learn through fiction, I often struggle to find the motivation to start reading a long non-fiction book, especially one by an author I’ve never tried before. I’ve had this one on my Kindle since last year waiting until it was the right time to read it – and that time came a couple of weeks ago after I read The White Witch by Elizabeth Goudge, a novel in which one of the main characters fights alongside Prince Rupert in the English Civil War. Rupert has a relatively minor role in that novel, and in others that I’ve read, but I thought it would be interesting to find out more about him.

Prince Rupert of the Rhine, as he is usually known, was born in Prague in 1619. His mother, Elizabeth, was the sister of King Charles I of England, while his father, Frederick, was the Elector Palatine and – briefly – the King of Bohemia. When Frederick lost his crown to the Habsburg Emperor, his wife and young children were forced to flee Prague and take refuge in The Hague. Growing up in exile, Rupert gained military experience in the Thirty Years War before coming to England and joining his uncle, Charles I, at the beginning of the Civil War.

As the commander of the Royalist cavalry, Rupert was one of the most colourful characters of the Civil War. When most of us think of a ‘cavalier’ we probably form a mental image of someone very like Prince Rupert: young, tall and handsome, with long, flowing hair and dressed in the latest court fashions. To the Parliamentarians, however, the cavaliers were villains, guilty of theft, rape, drunkenness and all sorts of debauchery. As the most iconic of the cavaliers, and the King’s most famous general, Rupert was the main target of enemy propaganda – he was even accused of witchcraft and his beloved white poodle, Boye, was suspected of being his familiar.

Earlier in the conflict, Rupert led the Royalists to some impressive victories, before suffering defeats at Marston Moor and Naseby. While Charles Spencer’s portrayal of Rupert is generally very favourable, I do think he does a good job here of showing why the Royalist cause ultimately failed and why rivalries and divisions between Rupert and his fellow commanders, as well as some very poor decisions, contributed to their downfall. Spencer does seem to like and admire Rupert (which must be an advantage when writing historical biography) but at the same time, he is aware of Rupert’s negative points and not just his positive ones.

The Civil War years only take up about a third of the book, but Prince Rupert’s military career continued after his part in the war ended. After being banished from England in 1646, he became a Royalist pirate, attacking Parliament’s shipping in the Caribbean. Then, following the Restoration of his cousin, Charles II, in 1660, he returned to England and fought in the Second and Third Anglo-Dutch Wars as a senior naval commander. Both of these episodes of the Prince’s life are given a lot of attention in this book, as are his final years (he died in 1682).

I thoroughly enjoyed this fascinating biography – Charles Spencer’s writing is clear and easy to follow, and I even found the descriptions of battle tactics and military strategies compelling, which is unusual for me! The only time I thought it began to drag a little bit was during the naval sections (I always seem to struggle with books set at sea, which I accept is usually my fault rather than the authors’).

What I found particularly interesting was the information on Rupert’s other accomplishments away from his army and navy career: his scientific work and the part he played in the founding of the Royal Society; his role in the development of the mezzotint printing technique; and his governorship of the Hudson’s Bay Company (Rupert’s Land in Canada was named after him). I wasn’t aware of any of this and hadn’t appreciated just how much Prince Rupert had achieved in his lifetime.

I would be happy to read more non-fiction by Charles Spencer but I’m not sure that any of his other books really appeal to me. He is the younger brother of the late Princess Diana (something I didn’t know when I first started reading) and most of his work seems to be concerned with his family history. If anyone has read any other books on Prince Rupert, though – either fiction or non-fiction – I would love some suggestions.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘It is hard to believe that one man packed so much into a single lifetime.’

Prince Rupert of the Rhine, grandson of King James I of England, was a famed warrior on the royalist side in the English civil war. Prince Rupert was born on 17 December, 1619 in Prague, Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic) and died on November 29, 1682 in London England. His parents, Elizabeth and Frederick (the Elector Palatine) were briefly king and queen of Bohemia but were ejected when Rupert, their third child and second son, was only a few months old. Elizabeth (the Winter Queen) took refuge at The Hague with her growing family while Frederick tried unsuccessfully to regain the Palatine possessions stripped from him by the Holy Roman Emperor. When Frederick died in 1632, he left behind a widow and eleven living children.

By the time Prince Rupert came to England to the assistance of his maternal uncle Charles I in 1642, he was already a veteran soldier. He fought against Spain in the Netherlands (the Eighty Years’ War) and against the Holy Roman Emperor in Germany (the Thirty Years’ War). Prince Rupert was aged 22 when he was appointed commander of the Royalist cavalry. After his victory at Powick Bridge in 1642, against all the odds, he became a hero to many.

But I learned that there is more to Prince Rupert’s life than his dashing exploits during the English civil war. In 1646, he was banished from England, and led the royalist forces in exile. After the Restoration in 1660, he returned to England and was a senior British naval commander during the Second (1665-67) and Third Anglo-Dutch (1672-74) Wars. He was one of the founding members of the Royal Society and was involved in scientific invention. One of his inventions was a brass alloy; another was a more powerful form of gunpowder. Prince Rupert went on to serve as the first Governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company and his name is found in various place names in Canada. He also travelled to Gambia and played a role in the early African slave trade.

Prince Rupert led an interesting and varied life and was definitely one of the more colourful Restoration figures. I enjoyed this biography of Prince Rupert and learned quite a lot more about his life and achievements.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Tony Pedley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince Rupert was involved in some of the pivotal moments of British and European history. Despite that he is not widely known. This book sets this right by painting a picture of a extraordinary man in extraordinary times.

Although Prince Rupert is most widely known for his part in the English Civil War, this part of his life actually only takes up 4 chapters. If anything this shows what a long and varying life the Prince had. Anyone with an interest in the civil war who is put off by this shouldn't be. The chapters contain great detail about the characters involved and the conflicts Rupert was involved in. More importantly it sets the context for that conflict and it's after effects.

What the book also shows what an extraordinary range of talents Prince Rupert had. General, Admiral, Artist, Scientist and Explorer. In more settled times he could of been one of Europes great military leaders and statesman. However the times and his loyalty to lost causes meant that was not to be.

The author paints a great picture of the times. My only criticism would be sometimes he has difficulty in hiding his great admiration for the man by perhaps indicating his bias against some of Rupert's political enemies. Despite that it was a great read and a great insight into an important point of English history.

[Grady · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to imagine this biography of Prince Rupert being much use to anyone who isn't already interested in the English Civil War or Restoration Eras. For anyone who is, however, it offers a very sympathetic portrait of a figure who usually shows up on the periphery of standard accounts. Spencer tells the story well, tracing Rupert's service in European Wars; on behalf of the ill-fated Charles I; as a pirate during the Interregnum; and as a cousin of King Charles II after 1660. While Spencer acknowledges Rupert's tactical mistakes, he portrays him as a smart, brave, and loyal soldier with tremendous personal integrity, as measured against the aristocratic values with which he was raised.

One theme of Rupert's life, from the Civil War on, is the replacement of the traditional (medieval?) conception of personal virtue with modern traditions of rigorous training and professionalization. This shows up in the defeat of the Cavaliers by Cromwell's New Model Army; and again, late in Rupert's life, by the eventual transfer of control of the Royal Navy from aristocrats to career civil servants. Fortunately for him, Rupert seems to have enjoyed a loving home life in his final decade, after years of defeat, loss, and disappointment.

[R.M.F. Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

What should a good man be? Posed Marcus Aurelius centuries ago.

Rupert, like Bismarck and Churchill after him, appear to have spent their whole lives seeking to answer this question at every opportunity. Their devotion to duty, a love of adventure over an ease of life, their calculated gambling in the best Nietzschean tradition, their refusal to die or even to surrender when the odds were against them...

All of this portrays driven men determined to make their mark on life, determined to answer that question, to burn brightly rather than fade away...

Spencer's work captures a flavour of that drive, presents us with Rupert's determination to be taken seriously, to restore his father's titles, and above all, presents us with a true renaissance man - a warrior, but a poet at heart.

Rupert is a character to match anything in the best Greek epics, a tragic Prince stripped off his inheritance, forced to live by his wits, his sword, and his courage.

An over reliance on primary sources, and a lack of rigorous analysis may sour this book at times, but Spencer's portrayal of Rupert is warm, sympathetic, and captures something of the spirit of the last Cavalier.

[Dean Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince Rupert by Charles Spencer is an excellent and engaging study of one of the most fascinating figures of the English Civil Wars. I had previously encountered Rupert only briefly in other books, so I finally decided to read a full account of his life and times.

What struck me most was how my view of him evolved throughout the book. Initially, I felt he perhaps should not have been involved in the Civil Wars. But by the end, I appreciated how much he contributed to Britain in the years that followed.

Charles Spencer writes with clarity and energy, bringing both Rupert and his era vividly to life. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope others will find it just as rewarding.

[Abigail Hartman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written and fairly even-handed biography of Rupert, who is best known for his role in England's Civil War. It would have been nice had Spencer given a brief background to that conflict and introduced the reader a little more thoroughly to the figures on the Parlimentarian side (he obviously has little love for Cromwell - hardly surprising). I would not call the book "riveting;" some sections dragged, since Rupert did little of significance after the war. Still, it was, on the whole, instructive concerning the Royalist side of the Civil War.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after I found out that my husband's family is descended from this man. I had no idea who he was, but he was a pretty fascinating guy. The biography is enthralling in parts. It did spend most of the book during the English Civil War, which is understandable, but I did wish for a little more background of other parts of his life. I enjoyed this, and I'll hold onto it in case my kids ever want to read up on their ancestor.

[Sally Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Spencer is one of my favourite non-fiction writers, and this biography is very good. Rupert was a fascinating person, and his life was never easy. Spencer's writing style is so readable, it feels like you are reading an adventure story, but the facts and sources are thoroughly presented and examined. I read this several months ago, but it feels like yesterday because the events are so vividly rendered, and Rupert's life and challenges so poignant.