Attempted Arrest of Parliament Members

Date: January 4, 1642 • Location: London, United Kingdom

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1642–1651.

English Civil War: King Charles I, accompanied by 400 soldiers, attempts to arrest five members of Parliament for treason, only to discover the men had been tipped off and fled.

Charles I was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649.