The town and port of Kingston upon Hull was, in the late 1630's and early 1640's, acting as the major arsenal for king Charles the First's army with which he had intended to make war on Scotland. One inventory dated 1639 included 50 cannon, and 200,000 assorted muskets, carbines, pistols and swords. It was by English standards very well defended having the Henrician (16^th century) artillery forts, wall and ditches to protect its eastern flank. The rest of the town's approaches were protected by a gated wall and ditch system, which encircled the entire town with an artillery battery at the town side of the confluence of the rivers Hull and Humber. It is this formerly enclosed area which today is referred to as the Old Town. The primary land access to Hull was via the Beverley Gate, which carried the road to Beverley thence York and the north and the elevated road (almost as a causeway on account of the wet land) to the village of Anlaby thence Hessle leading to the west. (The development of the town defences is also for another place, for it was a long and complex history deserving of more time than can be allotted here.). Also, in 1639 the king instructed his inspector, Capt. William Legge to report upon the town's defences of walls and ditches to the Mayor so that the town might implement his recommendations. Included in Legge's report was the need for drawbridges to be added to the gates which themselves were in need of repair. Also that the town ditches be cleaned out and all means of entry to the town other than by the great gates be stopped up. Needless to say the rate or tax, necessarily set up for the purpose by the Council, was resented especially by residents of the County of Hull, which extended as far afield as the villages of Anlaby, Hessle, Kirkella, Swanland and North Ferriby. The defences were however soon brought up to the requirements of Sir William Legge. As can be seen from the reconstruction based upon recent archaeology and other sources.

Hull, though a royal town, had since the 13th century been granted the honour of being maintained by the town elders called burgesses who were for the most part, rich, influential merchants. Being a royal town there was a government/crown appointed Governor who in this case was Sir John Hotham, an East Riding landowner. He supported Parliament in their dispute with king Charles about who should have supreme authority in the country, God, the Pope, the King or Parliament. Many were the differences between the two factions though the perceived threat of Catholicism was paramount. The strategic importance of the town cannot be over emphasised. As a port it could be supplied or relieved by sea, its arsenal, which had been depleted since the inventory had been made, was still nationally important. Also, leaning towards Parliament in its loyalties, the town was an enclave amidst the almost exclusively Royalist north.

Sir John Hotham, the Governor, was the son of a country squire, he had ambitions for a career in the military, was knighted (the first in the family for 300 years) and created a Baronet by James I at York in 1621. In 1628 he was made Governor of Hull then in 1635 he became the High Sheriff of Yorkshire. Hotham had been Governor for 11 years when in 1639 the town was visited by Charles I, and he was replaced by Sir John Glenham. As the incipient hostility between King and Parliament became more polarised Parliament re-instated Hotham as Governor very early in 1642 with very precise instructions that he should not deliver the town or its arsenal without the authority "Signified unto him by the Lords and Common House of Parliament".

The Queen, a Catholic, called Henrietta Maria was one of the king's closest but most ill advised councillors. It was mainly due to her influence added to the king's own arrogance and his un-erring belief in the Divine Right of Kings which alienated the vast majority of the more puritanical Members of Parliament. It was her determination to convert the Crown of England back within the fold of the Old Church, which placed her in serious jeopardy. Plans were laid for her arrest and impeachment for treason. The king in his misplaced arrogance and with a fully armed guard attempted on the 4^th of January 1642 to arrest five Members from within the House. This was a massive breach of Parliamentary Privilege. Not only were the five Members forewarned enabling their escape but the whole House was in turmoil. The king withdrew and as a precaution he escorted Henrietta Maria to Dover in order that she could take ship to safety in Holland. She went with an ulterior motive as she carried with her the very Crown Jewels themselves to sell or pawn in order to raise monies and munitions should armed conflict break out betwixt the king, her husband and his Parliament. The king, for what ever reasons, decided to go on Royal Progress avoiding London, which he had, unbeknownst, left for the final time as king. Slowly and ponderously he and his entourage made their way to York. By the end of March, the core of the Royal faction had gathered with their monarch making York the de facto capital of England. Charles' interest in seizing the town and port of Hull apart from the stored munitions would have included its use as a safe landing place for the return of his queen and additionally, giving him possession of a major port on the east coast with trading routes to the Continent.

King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria

by Anton Van Dyck

A double portrait in the Pitti Palace Museum and Gallery, Florence, Italy.