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King Charles I
The Civil War and the execution of a king still stand out as momentous episodes in English history, and the life and death of King Charles I will always remain a story worth the telling. It is a story capable of many interpretations: was he, for example, the saint and martyr that his friends acclaimed, or the traitor and tyrant whom his enemies indicated, or simply an ordinary men whom chance had placed in the path of momentous change. There are, perhaps, more questions to be asked, and answered, about this grandson of Mary, Queen of Scots, than about any other English monarch.
Charles's heritage, upbringing and personality, and his relationship with his friends, his advisers, and his favourites, all took place against, and were shaped by, a background of social and political upheaval that gradually enveloped him and his whole family. Pauline Gregg's excellent biography, drawing heavily on original documents, letters and speeches, tells the many-sided story of Charles I with skill and sympathy. 'He serves this king best who tells his life most faithfully,' wrote one of Charles's earliest biographers, a sentiment that is realised splendidly in Pauline Gregg's accomplished new book.
Charles's heritage, upbringing and personality, and his relationship with his friends, his advisers, and his favourites, all took place against, and were shaped by, a background of social and political upheaval that gradually enveloped him and his whole family. Pauline Gregg's excellent biography, drawing heavily on original documents, letters and speeches, tells the many-sided story of Charles I with skill and sympathy. 'He serves this king best who tells his life most faithfully,' wrote one of Charles's earliest biographers, a sentiment that is realised splendidly in Pauline Gregg's accomplished new book.
512 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
About the author
Pauline Gregg
27 books3 followersPauline Gregg was a British historian. Her published works concentrated on the period of the English Civil Wars of the 17th century and the history of social life in Britain.
During her schooldays she became attracted to socialism through the writings of William Morris. She joined the Labour League of Youth and later the Independent Labour party, and addressed meetings from the back of a coal cart, before graduating to Speaker's Corner. She lunched with Gandhi during his 1931 visit to Britain.
In 1932, aided by a loan from Middlesex county council, won a place at the London School of Economics. "It was as if someone had opened the door to an enchanted land," she later wrote. "My socialism had a focus, a new meaning." Her doctorate, on the Levellers' leader John Lilburne, provided the foundation for a biography, Free-Born John (1961).
She was posted to Warwick by the Ministry of Supply when the second world war broke out and there she met Russell Meiggs, a classics fellow at Balliol College, Oxford, whom she married in 1941. Later, they settled into Oxford academia, numbering JRR Tolkien among their circle of friends. From 1946, they were in charge of Holywell Manor, a Balliol annexe housing 50 undergraduates.
She would cycle every day to the Bodleian library, where she continued her research on the 17th century. Underlining her independence, she used her maiden name as a pen name. Her first book, A Social and Economic History of Britain (1760-1950), became a standard reference work. She also wrote definitive biographies of Charles I and Oliver Cromwell; CV Wedgwood described the former as "the fullest and most carefully compiled that we are ever likely to have".
During her schooldays she became attracted to socialism through the writings of William Morris. She joined the Labour League of Youth and later the Independent Labour party, and addressed meetings from the back of a coal cart, before graduating to Speaker's Corner. She lunched with Gandhi during his 1931 visit to Britain.
In 1932, aided by a loan from Middlesex county council, won a place at the London School of Economics. "It was as if someone had opened the door to an enchanted land," she later wrote. "My socialism had a focus, a new meaning." Her doctorate, on the Levellers' leader John Lilburne, provided the foundation for a biography, Free-Born John (1961).
She was posted to Warwick by the Ministry of Supply when the second world war broke out and there she met Russell Meiggs, a classics fellow at Balliol College, Oxford, whom she married in 1941. Later, they settled into Oxford academia, numbering JRR Tolkien among their circle of friends. From 1946, they were in charge of Holywell Manor, a Balliol annexe housing 50 undergraduates.
She would cycle every day to the Bodleian library, where she continued her research on the 17th century. Underlining her independence, she used her maiden name as a pen name. Her first book, A Social and Economic History of Britain (1760-1950), became a standard reference work. She also wrote definitive biographies of Charles I and Oliver Cromwell; CV Wedgwood described the former as "the fullest and most carefully compiled that we are ever likely to have".
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 1, 2025
This was the book I chose when it came to deciding on a biography to read about King Charles as there is none in my beloved Yale monarch series. I’m glad I chose it. Pauline Gregg’s biography is thorough. It gets to the point. It isn’t too heavy on analysis until the end which is where I like my analysis in a biography.
It’s just straight up biography on Charles and mostly sticks with Charles. Essentially what I mean is don’t expect a lot of say Cromwell for example, a major figure of the reign. This is a biography of Charles and you will spend most of your time with Charles. Sure it can be a bit dry, but I don’t mind. I prefer my history books to have more of academic lean to them and this book was that.
Now in terms of the book as a whole I felt for me the first roughly half is slow. Though this was mainly as Charles life before becoming king I had been familiar with due to the book I read about his father. There’s going to be overlap when reading about history in chronological order. Yet from the moment he became king, the book hooked me and I felt the final 50 or so pages in particular was strong.
So yeah this biography was great and for anyone looking for a biography on King Charles, I don’t think you can do any wrong with this one.
It’s just straight up biography on Charles and mostly sticks with Charles. Essentially what I mean is don’t expect a lot of say Cromwell for example, a major figure of the reign. This is a biography of Charles and you will spend most of your time with Charles. Sure it can be a bit dry, but I don’t mind. I prefer my history books to have more of academic lean to them and this book was that.
Now in terms of the book as a whole I felt for me the first roughly half is slow. Though this was mainly as Charles life before becoming king I had been familiar with due to the book I read about his father. There’s going to be overlap when reading about history in chronological order. Yet from the moment he became king, the book hooked me and I felt the final 50 or so pages in particular was strong.
So yeah this biography was great and for anyone looking for a biography on King Charles, I don’t think you can do any wrong with this one.
April 4, 2009
Excellent book, well written and interesting. Presents a full picture of Charles I, instead of concentrating on only the well known parts of his character. Presents the man and the king, with snippets and facts that add greatly to the history.
May 27, 2019
A thorough recounting of Charles I’s life and the time he lived in. Dry at points which is why I gave it 3/5 stars. But still a wealth of knowledge about him as a man and ruler. There were several places when things could have gone differently for him. It’s a shame they did not.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews