BBC Summary

The Execution of Charles I 

The execution of King Charles I was actually not favored in the hearts of the English. Many people stated that they wanted to execute the king, but they were pressured by the influential Oliver Cromwell and regretted their actions. Regicide was quite shocking in the minds of Europeans. Two members of the Rump Parliament, Thomas Hoyle and Rowland Wilson, committed suicide out of guilt for killing the king. The Old Testament instilled the idea of regicide in people with stories of unrighteous kings being overthrown by God's people. Puritans believed in regicide because they believed that the Scriptures provided the blueprint for politics and the justice for people to overthrow their authorities. Thomas Dugard, a moderate parliamentarian, preached that Charles I's Book of Sports as sinful and cause of bloodshed because it allowed licensed recreations on Sabbath Sundays. Thus, people believed that Charles had provoked God's wrath. 

Educated Englishmen saw Charles as Caligula, an ancient Roman tyrant since universities familiarized them with republican understanding of politics and corruption of government. They advocated monarchical republics such as the reign of Elizabeth I when the landowning men could participate in legal and political affairs. The experience of civil was cost many lives and money. Taxation broke records and troops that lacked pay plundered helpless commoners. The result of the war was people demanding rewards for all their sacrifices. Additionally, the idea that God was punishing the king was strengthened when Charles lost the war. 

The Parliamentary army changed politics in England in the Declarations of Parliament, which defended people's just rights and liberties while stating the duty to overthrow Charles for his perfidy. Trial of the king for crimes against his people and laws of England had real basis, and it was decided that Charles should be executed in the face of the world. After Charles's execution, the people developed a radical view of government. The purged Parliament wanted to abolish monarchy altogether and govern by its own representatives or national meetings in council.