Today in History:  January 30, 1649 King Charles I is beheaded

The British have always had an interesting relationship with their monarchs. Charles I reigned from March 1625 until his death in 1649. His death, however, holds a certain distinction. Charles I was the only British monarch ever put to death by the Parliament of England. The King's policies did not win him any friends: he was an advocate of the Divine Right of Kings, and levied taxes without Parliament's consent, never a popular move. He married a Catholic at a time when a very conservative Protestant movement was sweeping the nation. The English Civil War ensued, with Charles defeated. Parliament abolished the monarchy and declared the Republic of the Commonwealth of England. Charles I was imprisoned, tried, convicted, and then executed by beheading for high treason. The rather dreary Protestant Puritans soon wore on the public's sensibilities, however, and the monarchy was restored in 1660, with Charles's son, Charles II, taking the throne.