Execution of Charles I

1
Execution of Charles I

• January 30, 1649

2
John Bradshaw
High Court of Justice, convened in the Painted
Chamber of the Palace of Westminster
3

• The Charges Against the King
• That the said Charles Stuart, being admitted King
  of England, and therein trusted with a limited
  power to govern by and according to the laws of
  the land, and not otherwise and by his trust,
  oath and office, being obliged to use the power
  committed to him for the good and benefit of the
  people, and for the preservation of their rights
  and liberties
• yet, nevertheless, out of a wicked design to
  erect and uphold in himself an unlimited and
  tyrannical power to rule according to his will,
  and to overthrow the rights and liberties of the
  people... he, the said Charles Stuart, for
  accomplishment of such his designs, and for the
  protecting of himself and his adherents in his
  and their wicked practices to the same ends hath
  traitorously and maliciously levied war against
  the present Parliament
• ... All which wicked designs, wars, and evil
  practices of him, the said Charles Stuart, have
  been, and are carried on for the advancement and
  upholding of a personal interest, of will, power,
  and pretended prerogative to himself and his
  family, against the public interest, common
  right, liberty, justice, and peace of the people
  of this nation, by and from whom he was entrusted
  as aforesaid.
• By all of which it appeareth that the said
  Charles Stuart hath been, and is the occasioner,
  author, and continuer of the said unnatural,
  cruel and bloody wars and therein guilty of all
  the treasons, murders, rapings, burnings, spills,
  desolations, damages and mischiefs to this
  nation, acted and committed in the said wars, or
  occasioned thereby.

4
The Original Death Warrant - which stated that
the King 'be put to death by the severing of his
head from his body'. Fifty-nine people signed the
warrant the first signature is that of John
Bradshaw, and the third, of Oliver Cromwell.
Henry Ireton is second from the bottom of the
second column.
5
Location
Whitehall Palace from the River Thames by
Wenceslaus Hollar, c1650, showing the Banqueting
House and, to its right, the Tudor great hall.
6
Whitehall Palace with the Banqueting House in
1669
7
In 1619 Inigo Jones began to design a new
banqueting house for James I after fire had
destroyed an earlier banqueting house on the same
site. On 4 January 1698, some linen left to dry
by a charcoal fire caught light and within five
hours almost the whole of Whitehall Palace was
destroyed only the Banqueting House and the
Whitehall and Holbein gates survived.
8
The day of execution

• It was a cold day. He had asked to wear thick
  underclothes under his shirt as he was very
  concerned that if he shivered in the cold, the
  crowd might think that he was scared.
• Charles was allowed to go for a last walk in St
  Jamess park with his pet dog. His last meal was
  bread and wine.
• Execution delayed. The man who was to execute
  Charles refused to do it. So did others. Very
  quickly, another man and his assistant was found.
  They were paid 100 and were allowed to wear
  masks so that no-one would ever know who they
  were.
• Soldiers beating drums walked with the king.
• At nearly 2.00 oclock in the afternoon, Charles
  was lead to the scaffold which was covered in
  black cloth.

9

• Charles' last words to his daughter Elizabeth
  were, "He bid her tell her mother, that his
  thoughts had never strayed from her, and that
  love should be the same to the last.

10
(No Transcript)
11
Charless speech

• As for the people, truly I desire their liberty
  and freedom as much as anybody whomsoever but I
  must tell you that their liberty and freedom
  consist in having of government, those laws by
  which their life and their goods may be most
  their own. It is not for having share in
  government, sirs that is nothing pertaining to
  them a subject and a sovereign are clear
  different things.
• "I have delivered to my conscience I pray God
  you do take those courses that are best for the
  good of the kingdom and your own salvation."
• "I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible
  crown, where no disturbance can be, no
  disturbance in the world".
• "I die a Christian according to the profession of
  the Church of England. I have a good Cause and I
  have a gracious God. I will say no more."

12

• Ropes had been prepared to tie the king down, if
  necessary, but he smiled calmly and scornfully at
  these
• Crowd reaction One observer in the crowd
  described it as "such a groan by the thousands
  then present, as I never heard before and I
  desire I may never hear again."
• Cavalry pushed the crowd away but a few onlookers
  managed to dip their handkerchiefs in the blood
  that dripped from the scaffold
• King's head was sewn back on his body so the
  family could pay its respects. He was buried in
  private and at night on 7 February 1649, in the
  Henry VIII vault inside St George's Chapel in
  Windsor Castle

13
(No Transcript)
14
(No Transcript)
15
Eikon Basilike (Royal Portrait)