Cause and Effect Essay: The Execution of King Charles I

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 sign from God warning King Charles to surrender to Parliament (Charles I: Regicide. . .31). People no longer thought of Charles as a worthy king because he subconsciously implied he was more powerful than God (31).

Unavoidable taxes, high court costs, and ship money were all devices that King Charles I used to earn income (United Kingdom). Taxes were paid by all of the King's subjects, whether they were rich or poor. Anyone who had to appear in court during this time could count on a hefty fine, regardless of the severity of the crime committed. Also, Charles began to charge everyone in the kingdom ship money (used to maintain the navy), even if they didn't live in an area that required naval protection (United Kingdom). These methods of collection were cash-cows for King Charles I, but were emptying the pockets of his own people (Charles I, The Columbia Encyclopedia, 7803).

King Charles I was known for often being overly opinionated and stubborn. He was indispensably persistent in his belief of divine