The Execution of Charles I: Causes and Effects
Charles I Was Convicted Of Treason And Sentenced To Death
Charles I conflicts with the English Parliament
Charles was the son of James VI of Scotland. He became king of Scotland and England in 1612 after his brother’s Henry death. His father wanted to marry him with Spanish Infanta Maria Anna, but it did not turn into truth because the parliament was hateful to Spain.
Charles believed in giving honor to the heads of the church, and he married Henrietta Maria, a Catholic French princess. That also offended many English Protestants. Charles thought that he was above the laws and chosen by God.
Believing in his Divine right, he dissolved parliament three times on different occasions. King usually did when faced with opposition and reassembled for fundraising during running out of money.
Firstly, in 1626 he forcefully imposed the Ship Money tax without the consent of Parliamentarians. After that, they presented him a petition of right that reluctantly accepted by Charles. But Charles steps back from his words and again dissolved the parliament in 1629.
In April 1640, they refused to grant money until the acceptance of their demands. In November 1640, under John Pym, parliament passed an act for its protection from being dissolved.
Due to that reason, ministers imprisoned, and also some of them punished to death by Charles I. In 1642, the intense relationship between Charles and parliament led to the First English Civil War.
English Civil Wars from 1642 to 1648
Charles thought that parliament is becoming severe, and on 22, August he declared war. That was the beginning of the six years of civil war.
The Battle of Edgehill, Warwickshire in October 1642, between Royalist forces and parliamentarians remained inconclusive. The war continued till 1646 indecisively, Charles defeated at the Battle of Naseby, near Leicester, in June 1645 by Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army remained no hope of victory. In April 1646, Charles escaped the siege of oxford to the Scots and, they handed him over to parliamentarians in January 1647.
Trial and Conviction
After he lost the civil wars, Charles I was imprisoned. The High Court of Justice at Westminster Hall put him on trial for treason.
Putting a king on trial became a controversial issue. Those who were against it turned away or arrested. Charles did not respect the court and eventually sentenced to execution.
For the next three days, he was under house arrest at James Palace. Politicians succeeded to prevent Charles II, his son, from taking the throne through legislation.
Execution of Charles I
On 30 January 1649, a large crowd of women, men and children were gathered at the open street before Whitehall.
They waited for the event that was going to shake the core of the nation. In the afternoon, Charles met with two executioners. Then he addressed the crowd by saying that:
“I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown, where no disturbance can be, no in the world”.
At last, he laid his head on the block and, the executioner served the king head from his head, killing him immediately with one blow of the axe. The king head held up to the crowd.
After three weeks, the monarchy officially abolished and, Cromwell took control through parliament. The followed a period known as the English Commonwealth.
