The Mad Cavalier

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Prince Rupert (1619-82), noted for his rash courage and impatience of control He was a grandson of James I, through his mother, Elizabeth, and was famous as a cavalry leader on the Royalist side during the English Civil War.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “The Mad Cavalier” mean?

Prince Rupert (1619-82), noted for his rash courage and impatience of control He was a grandson of James I, through his mother, Elizabeth, and was famous as a cavalry leader on the Royalist side during the English Civil War.

Is “The Mad Cavalier” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.