It's January 30th, 1649.

Crowds fill the streets of central London.

A group of teenage boys elbow their way through the packed bodies, searching for a better

view.

Leading them is a 15-year-old named Samuel Pepys.

Samuel will later write one of the most famous diaries in history, chronicling his life

and times in astonishing detail.

But today, he is just a schoolboy, who has sneaked away to witness and execution.

The boys find a break in the crowd and huddle together to see. On a street outside

the palace of Whitehall, a platform has been erected. It's draped in black cloth and ringed with

soldiers more than young Samuel can count. Vendors worked the crowds, selling hot pies that steam in the

cold January air. Many here have seen criminals and traitors

die before. It's always been a popular day out for Londoners, but today will be an execution

like none other. Charles I, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, has been found guilty

of trying to seize unlimited and tyrannical power to rule according to his will

and to overthrow the rights and liberties of the people.

His death sentence comes after seven years of civil war.

At the heart of the conflict was the question of how the country was governed,

whether ultimate political power lay with the king elected by God or with

Parliament elected by the people. The king's forces fought those of Parliament, and the king lost.

Negotiations with the defeated Charles failed, so Parliament decided that the only way to get

ahead was for the king to lose his.

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