Charles I

"Well I see the birds have flown the coop."

- Charles, noticing the men he wanted arrested are gone

Charles I of England was a villain in the 1970 movie Cromwell. Born Charles Stuart he became the King of England.

Charles was portrayed by Sir Alec Guinness, who is perhaps most well known for portraying Obi-Wan Kenobi.

A believer in the traditional divine right of kings, Charles was determined to be the absolute ruler of England. After learning that MPs John Pym, John Hampden, Henry Ireton, Oliver Cromwell, and Sir Arthur Hesilrige had said some not very nice things about him, Charles became upset and ordered a warrant drawn up for their arrest.

Once the warrant had been drawn up Charles took it and went to Parliament with a company of soldiers to place the men under arrest. Despite the efforts of the House of Commons to keep him from intruding, Charles forced his way in to the House. Taking the Speaker's chair he informed the members of the warrant, and seeing that they were gone asked Speaker William Lenthall where they were. Lenthall politely refused his request, telling Charles that he could not divulge unless the House gave him permission to do.

Charles did see Oliver Cromwell still sitting in the House, and tried to place him under arrest. However he was prevented from doing so by the House, and Charles retaliated by dissolving the House.

England soon fell in to civil war, with Charles and his supporters on one side, and the supporters of Parliament on the other side. Charles was soon defeated in the war and placed under arrest. Charles refused to negotiate a settlement with Cromwell and Parliament, who had hoped to allow Charles to continue as a constitutional monarch.

Charles was put on trial by the House for his crimes, and sentenced to death. He was soon executed by beheading. Even so, the dignified way he faced his execution won him respect from even enemies like Cromwell, and there was little celebration over his death.

Trivia

 * The real Charles I did force his way in to Parliament and sat in the Speaker's chair as depicted in the film. However he did not seek the arrest of Oliver Cromwell or Henry Ireton at that time.  Instead of Cromwell and Ireton, Charles had wanted Denzil Holles and William Strode.