January, 1649. After seven years of fighting in the bloodiest war in Britain's history, Parliament had overpowered King Charles I and now faced a problem: what to do with a defeated king, a king who refused to surrender? Parliamentarians resolved to do the unthinkable, to disregard the Divine Right of Kings and hold Charles I to account for the appalling suffering and slaughter endured by his people. A tribunal of 135 men was hastily gathered in London, and although Charles ...
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January, 1649. After seven years of fighting in the bloodiest war in Britain's history, Parliament had overpowered King Charles I and now faced a problem: what to do with a defeated king, a king who refused to surrender? Parliamentarians resolved to do the unthinkable, to disregard the Divine Right of Kings and hold Charles I to account for the appalling suffering and slaughter endured by his people. A tribunal of 135 men was hastily gathered in London, and although Charles refused to acknowledge the power of his subjects to try him, the death sentence was unanimously passed. On an icy winter's day on a scaffold outside Whitehall, in an event unique in English history, the King of England was executed. When the dead king's son, Charles II, was restored to the throne, he set about enacting a deadly wave of retribution against all those - the lawyers, the judges, the officers on the scaffold - responsible for his father's death. Some of the 'regicides' - the killers of the king - pleaded for mercy, while others stoically awaited their sentence. Many went into hiding in England, or fled to Europe or America. Those who were caught and condemned suffered agonising and degrading ends, while others saw out their days in hellish captivity. Bestselling historian Charles Spencer explores this violent clash of ideals through the individuals whose fates were determined by that one, momentous decision. A powerful tale of revenge from the dark heart of royal history and a fascinating insight into the dangers of political and religious allegiance in Stuart England, these are the shocking stories of the men who dared to kill a king.
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This book should be on the reading list for any A-level student of English History. It has catalyst-ed and catapulted my interest in English kings & queens (I only did history to the 3rd year at school, then opted for geography). I agree with all the sleeve notes, especially the one that says " history told at the racy pace of a thriller". Like the author, C. Spencer, I tended to have admiration & sympathy for the regicides - who were principled and brave men of fortitude. As a reader, you are hoping they wouldn't get caught. The book has inspired me to go to see The Great Hall in Westminster Abbey where Charles I was tried, a gallery exhibition at the RCA about Charles I & II and the battle sites at Marsden Moor (which I have visited - excellent) and at Nasby (yet to visit). I was also impressed by the wives of the regicides eg Lucy Hutchinson - how they used their network and spoke up vociferously for their men. An impressive, excellent, well written & researched academic "thriller". ps gory in parts but Spencer spares little in detail.
