why did charles11 have cromwells body decapitated.?

Question

cromwell honoured the kings body and said aprayer for him so why did charles the second have cromwells body dug up and decappitated.

Answer 1

It was traditional for regicide. And the Declaration of Breda stated clearly a "free and general pardon" to any old enemies of Charles II (and of his father) for those who recognized Charles II as their lawful monarch, _with the exception of some of the regicides_. Furthermore, the newly elected, and predominantly Royalist Parliament, that had voted the restoration of Charles II, probably wanted to set a clear example in an uncertain time, and show where its loyalties lay.

"Posthumous execution is the ritual execution of an already dead body. Examples include a number of the regicides of Charles I of England. [Some] had died before the Restoration of King Charles II. Parliament passed an order of attainder for High Treason on the four most prominent deceased regicides: John Bradshaw the court president, Oliver Cromwell, Henry Ireton, and Thomas Pride. The bodies were exhumed and the first three were hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn. The most prominent was the former Lord Protector Cromwell, whose body after said "punishment" was thrown, minus its head, into a common pit. The head was finally buried in 1960. The body of Pride was not "punished" perhaps because it had decayed too much. Of the regicides still alive then, some were executed and others either fled or were imprisoned. For a full list see List of regicides of Charles I."

"In Christian countries until relatively recently, it was believed that to rise on judgement day the body had to be whole and preferably buried with the feet to the east so that the person would rise facing God. A Parliamentary Act from the reign of King Henry VIII stipulated that only the corpses of executed murderers could be used for dissection. Restricting the supply to the cadavers of murderers was seen as an extra punishment for the crime. It follows that if one believes dismemberment stopped the possibility of resurrection on judgement day, then a posthumous execution is an effective way of punishing a criminal. Attitudes towards this issue changed very slowly in the United Kingdom and were not manifested in law until the passing of the Anatomy Act in 1832."

"Posthumous execution" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posthumous_execution

"Charles set out for England, arriving in Dover on 1660-05-23 and reaching London on 29 May (which is considered the date of the Restoration, and was Charles' thirtieth birthday). Although Charles granted amnesty to Cromwell's supporters in the Act of Indemnity and Oblivion, this made specific provision for people to be excluded by the indemnity through act of Parliament. In the end 13 people were executed: they were hanged, drawn and quartered; others were given life imprisonment or simply excluded from office for life. The bodies of Oliver Cromwell, Henry Ireton and John Bradshaw were subjected to the indignity of posthumous executions."

"Charles II of England : Restoration" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_II_of_England#Restoration

"The Declaration was drawn up by Charles and his three chief advisors, Edward Hyde, the Marquis of Ormond (James Butler), and Sir Edward Nicholas, in order to express the terms by which Charles hoped to take up "the possession of that right which God and Nature hath made our due". It guaranteed a "free and general pardon" to any old enemies of the King-to-be and of his father who recognized Charles II as their lawful monarch, with the exception of some of the regicides of Charles I."

"Declaration of Breda" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Breda

"[George Monck] forced the dissolution of the Rump parliament, while at the same time breaking up, as a matter affecting discipline, the political camarillas [groups of courtiers or favorites which surround ruler] that had formed in his own regiments. He was now master of the situation."

"Though he protested his adherence to republican principles, it was a matter of common knowledge that the new parliament would have a strong Royalist colour. Monck himself, now in communication with Charles II, accepted the latter's Declaration of Breda, which was largely based on Monck's recommendations. The new parliament met on 1660-04-25, and on 1 May voted the restoration of the monarchy."

"Soldier though he was, he had played the difficult game of politics in a fluid and uncertain situation with incomparable skill. That he was victor sin sanguine, i.e., "without blood", as the preamble of his patent of nobility stated, was generally applauded as the greatest service of all, especially after the violence of the Civil Wars."

"George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle : Restoration of the monarchy" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Monck#Restoration_of_the_monarchy

Answer 2

Because Cromwell had been responsible for the beheading of Charles I. After the Restoration there was a wave of Royalism that swept through Britain. Charles II wanted to make an example of Cromwell, who had been dead at any rate for two years and therefore had him, or his corpse rather, beheaded as a traitor to serve as an example to any other Republicans.
Also, because Cromwell had been something of a hot headed MP responsible with others for the breakdown between King and Parliament in the first place after 1640, it could well be that the Parliamentarians wanted to be absolved of being involved with the death of Charles I and therefore allowed the behading of Cromwell as some sort of act of pennance and a show of loyalty to Charles II.

Answer 3

Cromwell did kill Charles II's father, even if he did honour the body afterwards. The decapitation would have been a gesture of contempt towards Cromwell's rule, & his followers.It's thought Charles II's mother urged him to order it.

Answer 4

Probably retribution it take place on January 30 the same day as Charles I was executed.

In 1661, Oliver Cromwell's body was exhumed from Westminster Abbey, and was subjected to the ritual of a posthumous execution. Symbolically, this took place on January 30; the same date that Charles I had been executed. His body was hung in chains at Tyburn. Finally, his disinterred body was thrown into a pit, while his severed head was displayed on a pole outside Westminster Abbey until 1685. Afterwards the head changed hands several times, before eventually being buried in the grounds of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, in 1960.

Answer 5

I'm not sure that was Charles II's decision, probably just over-enthusiastic royalists trying to ingratiate themselves with the new king.
That said, however honourably Cromwell may have acted, he did have Charles's father decapitated and then given him cause to flea the country, so I'm not sure Charles would have seen much honour in it.

Answer 6

By the Declaration of Breda, Charles granted a general amnesty to all who had taken part in Cromwell's regime. However an exception was made for the 'regicides', those who had actually murdered Charles I. This was because the murder of a king was considered the most heinous of crimes.
The regicides were those who signed the original death warrant. Those who were still alive were hunted down and executed. As Cromwell was already dead, his body was dug up for formal execution. He was buried again after he had been executed.

For more detail, see this URL:

Answer 7

Revenge, pure and simple.

He wanted to taint Cromwell and the others who had signed his father's death warrant with the mark of treason.

Ironic, since Charles back-tracked on almost every promise he gave to those who handed him the Crown

Answer 8

Probably as a sign of respect for Cromwell.
He heard that Cromwell was on a Diet towards the end of his life.
And on his death-bed he'd said:
"I wish I could get rid of twelve pounds of ugly, unsightly, useless fat!
So Charles obliged him!

Answer 9

Yes this was an act of retrubution and to honour his father. King Charles was ordaned by God, how dare a commoner stand up to him

Answer 10

charles II, heard cromwell was taller than him