Historedia
EuropeEvent

Execution of the Regicides

When
1660
Where
Charing Cross
Episodes
1

Following the 1660 Stuart Restoration, Major-General Thomas Harrison and John Carew, signatories of Charles I's death warrant, were tried for treason. Harrison was executed at Charing Cross on 13 October 1660, and Carew followed on 15 October 1660.

Episodes

  1. 13 October 1660 · Charing CrossExecution of Thomas Harrison

    Harrison was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Charing Cross on 13 October 1660, facing death with noted courage.

Background and detail

Restoration and Arrest. After Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660, former regicides faced prosecution. Thomas Harrison declined to flee and was arrested in May 1660. John Carew, aware of the likely consequences, also made no attempt to escape.

Trial for Treason. Harrison was found guilty of treason after acknowledging his signature on the warrant and arguing he acted on conscience. Carew claimed he was merely complying with an Act of Parliament, an argument the court rejected, resulting in his conviction.

Execution in October 1660. Harrison was executed first on 13 October 1660 at the site of Charing Cross. Carew was executed two days later, on 15 October 1660. Both men were hanged, drawn, and quartered following their convictions for treason.

People involved

Sources

  1. Thomas Harrison (soldier) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-06-23
  2. John Carew (regicide) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-04
  3. Charles I of England Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-21

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.