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The Execution of King Charles 1

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The Execution of King Charles 1
Cause and Effect Essay: The Execution of King Charles I

Similar to a recent promiscuous President of the United States, King Charles I was accused of dishonoring his political power and abusing his moral authority for personal satisfaction; however it is hard to imagine a modern leader being punished in the same way as King Charles I, who was sentenced to death by method of decapitation (Charles I, King. . . 147). Religion, money, a fierce trial, and the concept of absolute power were all contributing factors to the unfavorable verdict of King Charles I. Being convicted by the English Parliament subsequently led to the King 's violent execution in January of 1649 at Whitehall in England (Charles I: Regicide. . .29). The foremost cause of the execution of King Charles I was being convicted of treason by the English Parliament for deceiving his own people and tarnishing the ideal image of a king (Charles I: Regicide. . .29). People believed that the king should exhibit the utmost concern for the well-being of his people. Charles, on the other hand, was much more concerned with his own comforts and desires. The King 's attitude consequently led to his complete disregard of the rights of his people (29). Religious persecution was an undeniable contribution to the harsh sentencing of King Charles I. At one point in history, the King attempted to force his Episcopalian beliefs upon the Scots by implementing mandatory non-catholic scriptures in every service (United Kingdom). This infuriated the Scots, as well as most other Catholics in England; people began to flee the country in order to practice religion freely (Charles I, The Columbia Encyclopedia, 7803). Eventually, Charles and those who supported the Royalists went to war with the English Parliament. Even after losing a battle with the Parliamentary Forces in 1646 (which cost the English many casualties), the King refused to surrender. Some people believed that the royal defeat was a


Cited: "Charles I." The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. 2000: 7803. The Gale Group: Infotrac One File. Brown Lib., Virginia Western Comm. Coll., Roanoke, Va. 19 April 2005. "Charles I, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1600-1649)" The Harper Encyclopedia of Military Biography. 1992: 147. The Gale Group: Infotrac One File. Brown Lib., Virginia Western Comm. Coll., Roanoke, Va. 19 April 2005 "Charles I: Regicide and Republicanism" History Today. 1996: 29. The Gale Group: Infotrac One File. Brown Lib., Virginia Western Comm. Coll., Roanoke, Va. 19 April 2005 United Kingdom. History Learning Site. English Civil War. "Charles I" 19 April 2005
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