The Burial, Grave and Mausoleum of King Charles I



#charlesi #windsorcastle #royalfunerals

King Charles I was buried in St George’s Chapel Windsor following his execution in January of 1649. In this video using the primary sources, I look at the circumstances of his burial. I then look at the plans from the 1670s to erect a mausoleum to the late king, before an account of the opening of his coffin in 1813.

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48 thoughts on “The Burial, Grave and Mausoleum of King Charles I”

  1. Thank goodness that monstrosity of a mausoleum was never constructed! That sculpture would have been particularly inaccurate and mean-spirited. Charles I was a treacherous and deceitful king full of his own unwarranted view of his relation with God. If he'd been a better man then the Civil War could easily have been avoided. Far from being a saint. Those who ,opposed him were driven to extreme measures by his intransigence. Mind you they were mostly a bunch of religious fundamentalists, which is always a very bad thing.

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  2. Wrens monument would have been magnificent indeed, but stylistically it would have 'sorted ill', with the perpendicular gothic of St George's Chapel, and [a century or so later], would have presented the gothicising George iv [and his architect, Jeffry Wyatville], with a dilemma -keep its baroque exterior unaltered, or dress it up in a more 'suitable' medieval garb ?

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  3. Thank you for another video stuffed with fascinating information. I did enjoy your description of the four vices crushed under the marble slab,
    I wonder what was in the minds of the soldiers who despoiled the chapel? Were they acting from principle, or were they simply yobs who enjoyed being able to destroy things of beauty?
    Lastly, do we know whose was the fourth coffin?

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  4. I have no words and lots of words at the same time regarding the wanton destruction perpetrated by the Protestants, not just here but years before this, too. I also really wish that people would let the dead rest in peace. 🤨

    Ok, end of rant. I do love that portrait of Charles II.

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  5. One shudders to think that but for the grace of God that St. George's Chapel wasn't a completely wrecked shell by 1660, like Holyrood Abbey would be a generation or two later.

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  6. I think it's rather ironic that Henry VIII and Charles I should be buried together in one vault – under the one the royal power in England reached its greatest extent, and under the other that power was completely eclipsed. The link between the two is not coincidental, as Charles's failure was to a great extent caused by the religious situation in the country which Henry's actions had given rise to.

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  7. The "rest of the story" so to speak. Thank you, Allan, for this most fascinating look into history. I couldn't help but see shades of St. Paul's in the proposed monument by Wren.

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  8. Someone needs to tell the present King Charles that it's never too late to realise Wren's vision! Allan, I feel lucky to have found your site early on; and am so pleased to hear that you are getting the millions of views you deserve!

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  9. Great piece. Thank you.

    The greatest tribute to King Charles I, as well as to his his son and namesake, has been the decision of Her Late Majesty to bestow their name on her son and heir, restoring it to full rank for a new era.

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  10. Wren’s monument would have been beautiful in London. I am glad it wasn’t added at Windsor. I think it would have been very incongruous with the chapel, castle, and town of Windsor. Thank you for another superb video! I always learn something 😊

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  11. Thank you for the answer about whether his head was reattached. I have told several people, over the years, how difficult it is to do this for an embalmer even now, i can't imagine it being done back then.

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  12. Fascinating as always, thank you. It breaks my heart to learn of the destruction of historical places and documents as described here, Cromwell and particularity Henry VIII were vandals of the highest order.

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  13. How poignant and moving is this story. That the King was taken to a semi derelict chapel and lowered with no prayers or words. Interesting to see the coffin and body when the vault was opened. The samples of hair and drawing of the King's head are intriguing. Thank you for adding these extra details which bring such emotion to your stories. ❤

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  14. Deeply fascinating Allan. It is no wonder so many people are now tuning in to your channel. All your work is so thoroughly researched and beautifully presented.I expect Charles I never imagined he would end up confined with Henry VIII and Jane Seymour!

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  15. After the Restoration some of the magistrates who signed the king's death warrant fled old England for New England. Three in particular sought shelter in New Haven in the colony (now state) of Connecticut, but Charles II's justice sought them even there. They hid for a time atop a bluff above New Haven; the "Judges Cave" remains a marked historical site to this day. They fled north several miles on a ridge that hikers today know as the Regicides Trail. I have hiked it myself from the trailhead at the Judges Cave. Streets are named for them in New Haven: Whalley, Dixwell, and Goffe. Whalley and Dixwell Avenues in particular are major thoroughfares.

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  16. The illustration of King Charles's coffin being carried up the "wide" west steps of St Georges Chapel is inaccurate. The steps were quite narrow, but the present wide steps were built in the reign of Queen Victoria.

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  17. Both explanations for locating the vault of Henry VIII could be correct. The old man showed the approximate location followed by a Lord tapping the area until he heard a hollow sound. A fascination and informative video. Many thanks

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