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Why did Prince Rupert’s cavalry charge hurt the Royalist cause at the Battle of Naseby?

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Painting of the Battle of Naseby shows cavalry and infantry clashing, with soldiers on horseback leading a charge and fallen fighters on the ground amid the chaos of battle. — English Civil Wars *Battle of Naseby*, by an unknown artist. The victory of the Parliamentarian New Model Army, under Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell, over the Royalist army, commanded by Prince Rupert, at the Battle of Naseby (June 14, 1645) marked the decisive turning point in the English Civil War.

At the Battle of Naseby, Prince Rupert’s cavalry charge proved detrimental to the Royalist cause because of his impetuous tactical choices. After successfully breaking through the Parliamentary cavalry and dragoons on the left flank, Rupert led his troops in a reckless pursuit of the fleeing enemy rather than turning back to support the Royalist infantry in the center.1

This maneuver left the Royalist forces vulnerable and removed his cavalry from the field at a critical moment. Taking advantage of this blunder, Oliver Cromwell executed a disciplined charge against the Royalist left flank and subsequently attacked the Royalist infantry. By the time Rupert’s cavalry returned to the battlefield, they refused to reengage, leaving the Royalist infantry to be overwhelmed by the New Model Army. This decisive failure effectively ended the first phase of the English Civil Wars.1