The period from 1640 to 1660, which includes the Civil War, the beheading of Charles I, and the reign of a republican government, is one of the most controversial and dramatic in British history. This book offers an authoritative analysis of the debate among contemporary historians on the causes, significance, and consequences of the events of that era. Aylmer argues that there was at least a partial middle-class revolution, as well as a rebellion with both aristocratic and popular elements.