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Eikon Basilike

Attributed to Charles I (possibly John Gauden) · 1649

A 1649 book of meditations attributed to Charles I, published just after his execution, which built his image as a royal martyr.

Published as Charles I's own spiritual memoir, this book shaped his lasting image as a martyred king, though his authorship is disputed.

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Title page of Eikon Basilike, 1648 reprint. Greek heading 'Eikon Basilike' above English title 'The Pourtraicture of His Sacred Majestie in His Solitudes and Sufferings', with Romans 8 'More then Conquerour, &c.', a Latin motto 'Bona agere, & mala pati, Regium est', and 'Reprinted In R.M. Anno Dom. 1648'.
Eikon Basilike, attributed to Charles I, 1649.

About this source

What it is

Eikon Basilike, or 'The Pourtraicture of His Sacred Majestie in His Solitudes and Sufferings', is a purported spiritual autobiography attributed to Charles I, published on 9 February 1649, ten days after his execution. Its authorship is disputed: after the Restoration, John Gauden claimed to have written it, though others, including a courtier named William Levett, swore Charles wrote it himself. Its frontispiece was engraved by William Marshall. A copy is held by State Library Victoria.

Why it matters

Whoever wrote it, the book combined prayers forgiving Charles's executioners with a defence of his politics, and was a huge royalist bestseller, going into 36 editions in 1649 alone. It helped build the image of 'Charles the Martyr', comparing him to Jesus, and provoked Parliament to commission John Milton's Eikonoklastes as a reply. It shows how quickly the dead king's story was shaped for political ends.

Look closer

  • Why does it matter that we are not certain who really wrote this book?
  • How does the frontispiece's imagery try to make Charles look like a martyr?
  • Why might Parliament have felt the need to commission a reply to this book?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Charles I on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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