65 Facts About King Charles I! Learn More About The Monarch

King Charles I's reign was full of controversies and disputes. He inherited a love for art and music along with the identity of being a well-known linguist.

King Charles I is known for being the triggering figure behind the English Civil War, but there's more to his life, from his conflicting beliefs to a one-of-a-kind end. Charles' reign without parliament stirred unrest among people and parliamentarians alike.

The second Stuart of Great Britain was not born to be the King. He was the youngest child of James I. Charles inherited the throne as apparent heir after the death of his older brother. He was deeply religious, and those deep religious views were a matter of great conflict, as they grew to interrupt the peaceful reign and pushed him into several wars throughout his reign. King Charles' supported the Divine Right of Kings, a belief that led monarchs on a pedestal of utmost importance, deeming the reigning figure only answerable to God and not the people supporting him or were under his reign.

Facts About King Charles I

The controversial life of this King of England led his people to wage war against the Royal family, and his never-ending quarrel with the parliament led to the creation of two opposing sides. The ones supporting the King were called Royalists, and the opposing ones were called Roundheads. These two forces fought various wars to claim victory. Charles I's reign may have had people in a state of unrest and left behind a handful of interesting facts about this unusual King's conflicting views and unparalleled authority.

• King Charles I ascended the monarchial throne of England and Scotland in the year 1625.
• He was the youngest child of James VI. James VI had two children, among who the elder one died before ascending the throne.
• King Charles I dismissed the parliament and decided to reign alone on his terms.
• Charles I ruled for over 11 years without a parliament as his views conflicted with the idea of working with parliamentarians, along with his non-parliamentary practices to generate revenue.
• Charles I tried to impose his religious views through Anglican prayer book and High Church liturgy in the Scottish church, which prompted the Scottish army to riot against Charles I in a war known as the Scottish Bishops' Wars.
• 1642 marked the beginning of the English Civil War between the King's supporters and the group supporting parliamentarians.
• Oliver Cromwell led the 'Roundheads' or parliament supporting group in Civil War.
• During parliamentary dismissal, Charles I used Star Chamber as the parliamentary substitute.
• The Irish Uprising triggered tension between the King of England and parliament.
• The attempt to impose religious reforms led English and Scottish parliaments to join hands and caused the downfall of King Charles I's reign.
• Charles was a shy and insecure man who lacked charisma and the right vision to lead nations.
• Charles was known to be born with a slight speech impediment.
• King Charles I broke his engagements with Infanta Maria Anna, daughter of Phillip III of Spain, to marry Henrietta Maria, a Roman Catholic of France.
• Charles I was imprisoned in the Hampton Court Palace before being executed.
• Charles kept negotiating through the captivity with Scots to side with him through uncertain, conflicting times.
• 'Eikon Basilike,' or 'Royal Portrait,' is a book known as the royalist propaganda book that deceived people into believing Royalists and Anglicans as martyrs.
• Charles was convicted of treason and beheaded in Whitehall before the Banqueting house.
• Charles I dissolved the short parliament after it refused to give money to the King.
• The English Civil War was fought in the British Isles.

King Charles I's Accomplishments

King Charles was not a successful ruler, yet his avid interest in art and music left behind a majestic legacy. His appreciation for art and related things grew to an extent where the bought artifact pieces, paintings, and the expenditure of his court left him under a crippling lack of money. Apart from his artistic legacy and love for the arts, this King of England has no known or appreciated accomplishments. He was heavily despised by the people as well as the parliamentarians.

• High Church Anglicans hold special ceremonies on the occasion of his death anniversaries.
• Charles I's art collections star in the Royal collection, the private art collection of the Royal family.
• Charles I's love for art was inspired by his visit to Spain in 1623.
• Anglican devotional societies were founded in honor of Charles I.
• King Charles I was known to amass one of the finest art collections in the world.
• He commissioned various paintings for the court and self-portraits from artists of low countries.
• Duke of Mantua's entire collection was purchased by King Charles I.
• An estimated 1,760 paintings were collected in Charles I's painting collection.
• During Charles' rule, he did not work with the parliament for a long span of 11 years.
• Charles refused to comply with parliamentary rules and levied heavy taxes on his subjects.
• He shared his artistic interests with his close associates, dubbed as the Whitehall Group.
• Charles I raised an army of his own to battle against the parliamentarians.
• By 1642, Charles' army conquered a significant number of regions.
• Charles regained his Scottish fortresses through the Treaty of Berwick.
• King Charles I spent a fair share of time drawing peace negotiations with the Scots.
• King Charles gained proficiency in mathematics, religion, culture, and classics.
• King Charles was invested as the Earl of Chester and Prince of Wales in the year 1616.

King Charles I's Timeline

The short-lived life of King Charles I saw various shifts through time. Charles attempted to bring controversial changes without considering parliamentary opinions, therefore stirring unrest amid people, causing them to stand against him. His controversial life and death through accusations of treason lived a long, oscillating journey. This timeline may help simplify things and learn all about the life of this infamous royal figure.

• 1600: Birth of the second and youngest child of James VI of Scotland.
• 1625: Charles ascended the throne after his father James I of England
• 1626: An attempt to impeach the Duke of Buckingham is made, which was put down by Charles.
• 1629: Charles I dismissed the third parliament and professed his plan to rule alone.
• 1630: King Charles I established peace with Spain and France.
• 1637: Bishops' Wars take place as King Charles tries to force religious conformity over Scottish churches.
• 1640: King Charles decides to recall the parliament. The parliament lasted for three weeks and was later dissolved by the King because they refused to grant him money.
• 1641: Scottish uprisings took place; abolition of star chamber.
• 1642: English Civil War outbreaks as Royalists try to incarcerate Roundheads, other parliamentarians, and the Scottish parliaments, leading to one of the bloodiest wars in English history.
• 1645: Royalists, the King's army, is defeated against opposing forces of French and the parliamentarians.
• 1646: King Charles extends negotiation offer with parliament and the Scots as the King conspires with them to invade England on his behalf.
• 1647: King Charles flees to the Isle of Wight and is captured in the middle. He is tried by the parliament and is found guilty of treason.
• 1648: King Charles' supporting army of Scottish people was defeated in Preston.
• 1649: Charles I was executed based on treason, followed by 11 years of commonwealth rule by parliament.
• 1649: Public execution takes place, the King is beheaded before which he uttered his last word 'remember.'
• 1649: A day after the execution, King Charles' head is sewn back to the body to put in a coffin and sent off to the funeral.
• 1660: King Charles I's son Charles II takes over the reign after Oliver Cromwell's incompetent son, Richard, is forced to resign.

King Charles I's Family

Born in Dunfermline, Scotland, King Charles was not originally supposed to be the King, nor was he the heir of the Kingdom of England. A turn of events and the untimely death of his elder brother led him to ascend the title of the heir apparent at the age of 12 as the eldest surviving son. King Charles I's marriage to a Roman Catholic woman made matters worse for him. King Charles I's family consisted of nine children, among which only six survived and led a different life after their father's execution. Here are a few facts about King Charles I and his family.

• Charles I's father, James VI or James I of England, was the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth I of England.
• James VI won over the throne as Queen Elizabeth I's death left an heirless regimen behind.
• King Charles' father favored his marriage to the Spanish Infanta, which he rejected.
• King Charles II, the son of King Charles, remained determined to take over England a few years after his father's death. In an attempt to invade England, Charles II failed against Cromwell's army.
• King Charles eventually reclaimed the throne in 1660 as he was invited to take over the throne with the title of King Charles II of England and Scotland.
• Charles' older brother Henry supposedly died due to typhoid.
• Lord Fyvie, Charles' father's friend, was appointed as his guardian during childhood.
• Charles was further left under the charge of Lady Carey, who helped him through his sickly days.
• King Charles' six out of nine kids were alive. Among them, three were girls, and three were boys.
• King Charles' last child was born in Exeter in 1644.
• King Charles' sons were sent to exile while his daughters were married off to distant kingdoms.
• King Charles' last child, Princess Henriette Anne, played an important diplomatic role between England and France.
• Most of his children died due to smallpox.