#regicide

The idea of harmony within royal spheres is probably one of the concepts that as an auidence outside we don’t always fall for. Royal families and dynasties will attempt to show united fronts, sweep any hint of discourse and strife under the carpet in order to maintain that idea. A broken wall is more likely to crumble and collpase, less likely to defend against any assault from the outside. And very often, the attacks and discourse come from within.

Why the Cracks Begin Inside

If you pay attention to modern coverage of royal families, you will be presented with tales of in-fighting, of brothers squabbling over titles, younger siblings abusing their privileges, arguments over housing and spats over titles. Families argue, it is normal, but within royal circles, tensions and stakes are often raised. Fortunes, estates, grand titles, responsibilities and privileges are often the source of argument, with relatives fighting with the Crown over what they feel they are owed or deserve in relation to these things. It is in the monarch’s disgression to give or take but also in them to weigh up different situations and the impact of allowing their relatives access to these powers, for example, you wouldn’t give a loaded gun to the brother who has been eyeing up your crown or you wouldn’t allow an aunt who doesn’t support you to go abroad an act as your representative. But on the other hand, a smart monarch will not be a miser with honours or lands or titles as it would often tempt relatives to take what they wish or work with those who would give it to them. There is also the possibility of the Monarch being paranoid and suspecting innocent relatives of being guilty of betrayal or coveting the Crown. Take away from this is trust who you must but always keep family close.

When the Die is Cast

There is sometimes no preventing the betrayal of relatives within a royal unit. Slights, imagined or real, often turn to wounds and nursed wounds will often lead to cousins, siblings, aunts or uncles, even children acting out. This can come in the form of gathering supporters to intimate the Crown or even attack it or begin to court a foreign power or enemy in the effort to threaten the Crown into bending or at least coming to the table to discuss matters. However, this isn’t always based on greed from the betrayer, sometimes, the betrayer feels there is no choice but to fight against the Crown for their survival against real or even precieved threats. These betrayals can break out into war but most disagreements can trigger exiles from the country or the court, the frosty relations between relatives and family units which can create social schisms among the nobility and sometimes even tank the popularity of the monarchy especially if the strife impacts the population through war or violence or derails trust in the government or monarch.

When Worse comes to Worse

Like I said above, the arguments and disputes and petty distrust between royalty can lead to war. There have been numerous examples throughout history of ambitious heirs trying for a throne or attempting to topple an unpopular monarch or supporting the invasion of foreign powers in order to gain even more more or influence. But an united front plagued by rumours of fighting and mistrust between its key members also attracts ideas of weakness. If a brother to a king doesn’t support them or even listen to them, then why should the nobles or commons? If a King doesn’t trust his daughter who is the next heir, why should anybody obey her? And if the royal family is that fractured, that dead set on fighting each other and they don’t even trust each other, and if they are that petty to their own family, why would the population and those abroad respect the monarchy at once. An unstable monarchy sows even more discord and danger, monarchies who do not pull together will fall together.

Results and Just Deserts

On January 30th 1649 King Charles I was executed.

His execution caused a change of sides by most of the Scots who had previously supported the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War as, for all his faults, Charles was still a Scottish Stuart king.

I love these accounts of what happened on occasions like this, it brings history alive for me and I can imagine being in the crowd at the time, I have a similar type post lined up for February 8th but this is an from tells us of a bitterly cold January day. Charles was wearing two heavy shirts so that he might not shiver in the cold and appear to be afraid. The following details of the event comes from an anonymous observer and begins as the doomed King addresses the crowd from the scaffold.

“[As for the people,] truly I desire their liberty and freedom as much as anybody whomsoever; but I must tell you that their liberty and freedom consist in having of government, those laws by which their life and their goods may be most their own. It is not for having share in government, sirs; that is nothing pertaining to them; a subject and a sovereign are clear different things. And therefore until they do that, I mean that you do put the people in that liberty, as I say, certainly they will never enjoy themselves. Sirs, it was for this that now I am come here. If I would have given way to an arbitrary way, for to have all laws changed according to the power of the sword, I needed not to have come here; and therefore I tell you (and I pray God it be not laid to your charge) that I am the martyr of the people…

And to the executioner he said, ‘I shall say but very short prayers, and when I thrust out my hands - ’

Then he called to the bishop for his cap, and having put it on, asked the executioner, ’Does my hair trouble you?’ who desired him to put it all under his cap; which, as he was doing by the help of the bishop and the executioner, he turned to the bishop, and said, ‘I have a good cause, and a gracious God on my side.’

The bishop said, ’There is but one stage more, which, though turbulent and troublesome, yet is a very short one. You may consider it will soon carry you a very great way; it will carry you from earth to heaven; and there you shall find to your great joy the prize you hasten to, a crown of glory.’

The king adjoins, 'I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible crown; where no disturbance can be, no disturbance in the world.’

The bishop: 'You are exchanged from a temporal to an eternal crown, - a good exchange.’

Then the king asked the executioner, 'Is my hair well?’ And taking off his cloak and George [the jeweled pendant of the Order of the Garter, bearing the figure of St. George], he delivered his George to the bishop…

Then putting off his doublet and being in his waistcoat, he put on his cloak again, and looking upon the block, said to the executioner, 'You must set it fast.’

The executioner: 'It is fast, sir.’

King: 'It might have been a little higher.’

Executioner: 'It can be no higher, sir.’

King: 'When I put out my hands this way, then - ’

Then having said a few words to himself, as he stood, with hands and eyes lift up, immediately stooping down he laid his neck upon the block; and the executioner, again putting his hair under his cap, his Majesty, thinking he had been going to strike, bade him, 'Stay for the sign.’

Executioner: ’Yes, I will, and it please your Majesty.’

After a very short pause, his Majesty stretching forth his hands, the, executioner at one blow severed his head from his body; which, being held up and showed to the people, was with his body put into a coffin covered with black velvet and carried into his lodging.

His blood was taken up by divers persons for different ends: by some as trophies of their villainy; by others as relics of a martyr; and in some hath had the same effect, by the blessing of God, which was often found in his sacred touch when living.”

A bust of Charles is on the wall outside the Banqueting Hall at Whitehall, London near the spot of his execution, and today as usual supporters of the Stuart King will lay flowers

An Overwhelming Advantage