Charles I 1600 - 1649

1616 - created prince of Wales in a lavish ceremony at Whitehall. 1623 - made a secret journey to Spain in order to finalise marriage arrangements to the Spanish infanta, Maria which were unsuccessful. 1625 - on the death of his father, James I of England, he became king of England, Scotland and Ireland. Marries French princess, Henrietta Maria. 1628 - reissued a declaration of his father's prohibiting discussion of the doctrine of predestination. 1629 - The Duke of Buckingham, favourite of Charles I assassinated. 1630 - the future Charles II born. 1637 - the introduction of a common prayer book, caused riots in Scotland. 1640 - an attempted suppression of Scotland fails from lack of finance and support. Later in the year, the Scottish army occupied Newcastle. Rebellion in Ireland stretched English resources. 1642 - instructed the attorney-general, Sir Edward Herbert, to make a statement to the House of Commons, accusing five members of the Commons and one member of the Lords of high treason and subsequently marched into parliament to arrest them. 1645 - the Battle of Naseby, during the civil war, saw his army defeated and began his decline. 1646 - placed under house arrest by several different factions. 1647 - attempted an escape only getting as far as Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight. 1648 - given the choice between abdication or trial, he chose the trial. 1649 - beheaded outside the Banqueting House in Whitehall.