 Of the county's twelve Members at the Long Parliament called in 1640, eight would fight on the Royalist side and four for Parliament.Control of the area was important to the King as Shropshire was a gateway to predominantly Royalist Wales as well as to keep in contact with the north-western counties and the western port links with Ireland.Parliamentary control of Shropshire was achieved after the capture of its last Royalist garrison by Parliament in 1646.