Just Finished Reading: Killers of the King – The Men who Dared to Execute Charles I by Charles Spencer (FP: 2014)

They knew the risks. But they had no choice, not really. Despite being beaten on multiple occasions during the bloody Civil Wars the King was adamant – he was appointed by God and only God could remove him. Certainly Parliament had no jurisdiction over him and could not legally put him on trial for his actions in the Wars. But a trial was held and his execution was ordered – for the safety of Parliament and the New Model Army who had so ably resisted him if nothing else. When the axe fell and the head rolled the gasp of horror was heard around Europe – the English had killed their king and had offended God. They were outcasts on the world stage to be left without a single ally. Despite everything and the growing number of enemies both foreign and domestic the Interregnum (honestly one of my favourite words of all time) survived – at least for as long as its Protector Oliver Cromwell lived. But soon after his death calls for a return to monarchy became louder by the day. It was not long before Charles II, the murdered king’s son and heir, returned to England to take up the throne to popular acclaim. Promising only limited retribution – lest he start another uprising – only seven names were put forward for legal consequence. Confident that they would face no more than a loss of position, rank and land they gave themselves up to the king’s mercy. But the new king was far from feeling mercy for the killers of his father. Tried and convicted of High Treason each of the judges who passed sentence on their rightful Lord was publically executed in the most brutal fashion. Then, his thirst for vengeance only beginning the king ordered the drawing up of a list of everyone directly or indirectly involved in the unspeakable crime of regicide. It was time to run, to hide or to plead for mercy.

When the list was finally compiled it came to over forty names – every judge, every lawyer and every man who signed the death warrant was ordered to give themselves up to the authorities or they and their families would face the consequences. Many did so, more to protect their families and their estates more than trusting in the forgiveness of the king. Some hid and eventually gave themselves up. Some ran and were caught fleeing or betrayed by others. Some fled and were hunted down and assassinated by royal assent. Some fled and fought and lived a precarious life never knowing who to trust or when the assassin’s knife would finally find them. Some fled as far as the New World colonies hoping for a new life in a place where they could vanish into the wilderness whilst still looking over their shoulders at every noise and being suspicious of every stranger. Only when Charles II had been replaced in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 could the few remaining regicides finally breathe free air. After so many years in hiding and in fear of their lives it was a small mercy.

Obviously the Civil Wars of the 17th Century loom large in English history and I have a reasonable familiarity with them. The great battles of the Wars and the New Model Army in particular were taught in great detail in school and, I remember, were very much taught from a Parliamentary point of view (despite still being a constitutional monarchy). What I didn’t realise, despite knowing about the Restoration and the subsequent Glorious Revolution, was that Charles II spent a great deal of time, effort and gold hunting down and killing his father’s murderers. It just never really crossed my mind that he’s do that (although it’s pretty obvious that he would once he was in power!). This excellent page turner of a book most certainly filled in a gap in my countries historical knowledge – which I really like. It was also nice to get away from modern times for a while. The Civil Wars are a fascinating time (from the distance of over 350 years) and through up some truly modern political ideas. They also changed the monarchy forever despite Charles’s intentions otherwise. Highly recommended for anyone interested in English history. More to come on this period! (R6)