In the mid-17th century, the War of the Three Kingdoms led to sweeping changes for the British Isles. But how did this time of chaos begin? Oliver Thomson provides a detailed analysis of the church parishes and castles of Fife, pinpointing a unique concentration of ex-mercenaries and rebel clergymen who together promoted the two Bishops' Wars. These complex religious clashes lead to a series of Scottish invasions of England that—as they developed into a series of civil wars—left more than 600,000 dead, including King Charles I.