Eikon Basilike

About the book

"Eikon Basilike" by King of England Charles I and John Gauden is a spiritual autobiography published in 1649, ten days after Charles I's execution. Written in diary form, it combines prayers forgiving the King's executioners with defenses of his political actions during the English Civil War. The book's authorship remains disputed—while attributed to Charles, Bishop John Gauden later claimed to have written it. Its portrayal of Charles as a martyr proved so powerful that it became wildly popular, prompting Parliament to commission John Milton's rebuttal and eventually leading to Charles's canonization as the Church of England's only formal saint.