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Killers of the King
- The Men Who Dared to Execute Charles I
- Narrated by: Richard Trinder
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
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Killers of the King
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Summary
Bloomsbury presents Killers of the King by Charles Spencer, read by Richard Trinder.
January, 1649. After seven years of fighting in the bloodiest war in Britain’s history, Parliament faced a problem: what to do with a defeated king, a king who refused to surrender?
Parliamentarians resolved to do the unthinkable, to disregard the Divine Right of Kings and hold Charles I to account for the appalling suffering and slaughter endured by his people. On an icy winter’s day on a scaffold outside Whitehall, the king of England was executed.
When the dead king’s son, Charles II, was restored to the throne, he set about enacting a deadly wave of retribution against all those - the lawyers, the judges, the officers on the scaffold - responsible for his father’s death.
Best-selling historian Charles Spencer explores this violent clash of ideals through the individuals whose fates were determined by that one, momentous decision. A powerful tale of revenge from the dark heart of royal history and a fascinating insight into the dangers of political and religious allegiance in Stuart England, these are the shocking stories of the men who dared to kill a king.
Critic reviews
"A pacy, well-researched and beautifully written story of intrigue, betrayal and Realpolitik, but above all cold-blooded institutionalised revenge on a massive international scale." (Andrew Roberts)
"Accomplished and gruesome, this masterful account of the fate of the regicides breaks all barriers in weaving the lives - and the grim fates - of many into a seamless, pacey and riveting read, underpinned by the depth of scholarship for which Charles Spencer is renowned. An exceptional and highly original history book that sheds new light on one of England’s bloodiest episodes." (Alison Weir)
"Imagine The Odessa File re-written by Christopher Hill and you will have some idea of the pleasure to be had in reading Killers of the King. The virtues of a thriller and of scholarship are potently combined." (Tom Holland)
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What listeners say about Killers of the King
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- anita mahon
- 21-10-23
even better 2nd time round
this is my 2nd time listening, it made me go back read the history..
Well written
Well narrated
Well done
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- H.A.B.
- 14-01-24
Fascinating book ….
I was always fascinated by the story of how Charles II revenged all those who condemned his father Charles I
This book is incredibly well researched and fascinating IF you like history and won’t get bored by dates, facts and details! It took me a while until I was used to the narrator but once you get used to him you simply can’t stop listening as the book is fascinating!!!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- John
- 26-02-23
Dramatic story drily told
Like many I came to this from Robert Harris’s ‘Act of Oblivion’. While this book does what it says on the cover and has a lot of detail, it doesn’t quite capture the tension and excitement of such a dramatic period of history.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 13-05-23
Hadley
I visited Hadley graveyard and found the grave of the man who ‘sheltered the regicides’. It’s an enthralling story we’ll rehearsed in this book of what might have beens!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 06-06-22
Entertaining summary and account of the Cromwell regime
This is a great work to introduce people to the Cromwell regime and to understand what happened to the regicides after his death.
There is a great deal of detail about the lives of those men who sat in judgment of Charles I, and who signed his death warrant. From those who chose to stand and die a martyr’s death, those who collaborated, to those who chose to flee either to Europe or the New World.
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andy S
- 21-03-23
Absolutely cracking
If like me you’ve had this recommendation on your Audible list and put off reading it can I heartily recommend that you give it a go. A fascinating and brilliantly read look at the aftermath of the death of Charles 1.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- shaun moss
- 08-02-23
Excellent book with great narration
Fancinating insight into the Regicides of Charles I and leaves you wanting to explore other avenues of this topic. The narration by Richard Trinder is really listenable and easy on the ears. Overall, great book.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- C M K
- 25-12-22
A fabulous read
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story gives a full account from the Civil War through King Charles I’s flight around the country, to his trial and then on to the hunt for the regicides ten or so years later. It is beautifully written and read, and absolutely gripping. Thank you Charles Spencer for a very fulfilling, if somewhat terrifying, experience.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sharky
- 16-11-22
Real English history as thrilling as a novel
I came to this book after listening to the superb ‘Act of Oblivion’ by Robert Harris (as it is one of the books credited by Harris as a research source). It didn’t disappoint. Loved every minute. If you think history is dull, this book will change your mind. Fascinating detail and colour, heroism, intrigue, revenge, sadism - it’s all here. Highly recommended.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Sue Hyde
- 05-10-23
Interesting but hard going
It was a struggle to follow at times as there are so many names of different people. The bit where they are all punished was brutal to listen to. Good book but nartation is awful
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