The White King

Charles I, Traitor, Murderer, Martyr

De: Leanda de Lisle

Narrado por: Graeme Malcolm

From the New York Times bestselling author and master of narrative nonfiction comes the tragic story of Charles I, his warrior queen, Britain's civil wars and the trial for his life.

Less than forty years after England's golden age under Elizabeth I, the country was at war with itself. Split between loyalty to the Crown or to Parliament, war raged on English soil. The English Civil War would set family against family, friend against friend, and its casualties were immense--a greater proportion of the population died than in World War I.

At the head of the disintegrating kingdom was King Charles I. In this vivid portrait -- informed by previously unseen manuscripts, including royal correspondence between the king and his queen -- Leanda de Lisle depicts a man who was principled and brave, but fatally blinkered.

Charles never understood his own subjects or court intrigue. At the heart of the drama were the Janus-faced cousins who befriended and betrayed him -- Henry Holland, his peacocking servant whose brother, the New England colonialist Robert Warwick, engineered the king's fall; and Lucy Carlisle, the magnetic 'last Boleyn girl' and faithless favorite of Charles's maligned and fearless queen.

The tragedy of Charles I was that he fell not as a consequence of vice or wickedness, but of his human flaws and misjudgments. The White King is a story for our times, of populist politicians and religious war, of manipulative media and the reshaping of nations. For Charles it ended on the scaffold, condemned as a traitor and murderer, yet lauded also as a martyr, his reign destined to sow the seeds of democracy in Britain and the New World.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Engaging.... Charles had many virtues, and Ms. de Lisle does justice to them.... Ms. de Lisle's account of the Revolution and the war is excellent-clear, fair, sympathetic and detailed.... she grants him the stature of a tragic hero."—AllanMassie, Wall Street Journal

"Leanda de Lisle has approached one of the great icons of history with understanding and compassion. She takes her readers through the twists and turns of the English Civil War so that they understand the enormity of the regicide and the foolishness and courage of the king."—Philippa Gregory, author of TheOther Boleyn Girl

"The reign of King Charles I of England is perhaps best known for its bloody end, when the monarch was beheaded on January 30, 1649.... The polarized nature of the debate concerning Charles's execution, however, has advanced a simplistic understanding of the Stuart king's legacy, one concerned chiefly with his abuses of power and attachment to the doctrine of divine right of kings. Leanda de Lisle's new biography of Charles, based on existing scholarship as well as newly discovered letters from the king's own hand, promises to challenge this legacy."—TheNew Criterion Critic's Notebook

"Charles I (1600-1649) has always received bad press....veteran British historian de Lisle delivers a more generous portrait.... De Lisle's parliamentarians are an irascible group, resembling not so much freedom fighters as the tea party; on the other hand, the author's Charles often seems the voice of reason. Recent elections in Britain and the United States have produced surprisingly dysfunctional governments. De Lisle's fine, revisionist view of Charles may arouse nostalgia for a time when national leaders, elected or not, looked out for the nonzealous majority."—KirkusReviews

"De Lisle paints a sympathetic portrait [and] skillfully places Charles's story within the context of religious, international, and domestic political rivalries.... Misogyny, religious prejudice, and prurient propaganda.... This fascinating look at a society in turmoil and the resilient, principled leader who tried to remain true to his religious and dynastic responsibilities will leave readers to determine for themselves the meaning of 'The White King,' .... An engrossing read."—Library Journal

"Charles I has long eluded even the most scholarly of biographers; his personal contradictions, attractive qualities and ludicrous blunders require a writer of rare talent to let us appreciate the long-hidden character of the king."—Andrew Roberts, visiting professor, King's College London, and authorof Napoleon: A Life

a wonderfully balanced biography

This biography of Charles 1 is sympathetic to the king, in contrast to, what seems to me, the more prevalent critical view of the man. The author does a good job of explaining both his strengths and weaknesses, and why he was somewhat unprepared for ascending the throne. while the bio is pretty balanced, it's obvious the author believes that Charles was a better man than his enemies gave him credit, and that his enemies were more opportunistic than noble. This work makes use of newly uncovered documents, and provides a lot of clarification about a muddled portion of British history. It also, as a tangent, helps provide some context for The Three Musketeers. Highly recommended!

Well told if slightly biased.

Good easy to follow story even if it is slightly biased to Charles's favor. The book was well written had a lot of detail, explained itself well, and the footnotes were entertaining and usually useful. I recommend this book for anyone intrested in the period.

Enlightening Stuart history

Stuart history is an area about which I know very little, which is one reason I turned to this book. It was without a doubt an incredibly entertaining and enlightening listen. As with Leonie Frieda's biography of Catherine de Medici, I found myself wanting to read still more biographies of some of the characters I met within the narrative. That's always a delightful surprise! I am in awe of de Lisle's extensive research. Her writing style is lively and accessible as well. Malcolm's narration was very well suited to the subject throughout. Highly recommended to those interested in the Stuarts, the English Civil War, or British history.

If you’re into English Kings, Treachery and Beheadings, this one’s for you.

Wonderfully researched and presented, “The White King” really drills down, mostly from personal writings and letters of the era, into great detail. The reader will wince when the King makes yet another decision that will lead to his ultimate end or he wins a battle that could get him back on the throne. I lost count of the times he skillfully escaped from his captors. That’s why I love this type of historical piece... no one could make this stuff up!

I really enjoyed the book! good flow

there are more detailed reads about this subject. but different author's deliver different info.. so I do read several books on same subjects. this one was very enjoyable. I have no complaint. good performance, good content, it had smooth flow and was easy to listen to for hours. I liked the information the author shared, it was interesting stuff that little side stuff I had never heard in other books. it was easy to follow and she has good insite and a good take on things . which I appreciate. not stuffy at all. I highly recommend!!!