Matthew Miller

Mrs. Burke

Honors World History

November 13, 2017

Department of Nobility
209 Horses Way
Not-London, Not-England 20646
1649 A.D.

Re: Application for Absolute Ruler

Dear Sirs:

Greetings fine residents of Not-England I have heard that you are looking for a ruler and

I, Charles I the King of England, feel like I would fit the job description perfectly.

Like my father before me, I believe in a strong single ruler with absolute dominance over

all aspects of government. Through my reign over England, I have grown quite adept at being

this singular all-powerful leader. For example, I have repeatedly rid myself of the interfering

hands of Parliament and created an eleven-year period of prosperity under my absolute rule.

While some of those who oppose me may call it the “Eleven Year Tyranny” it was quite honestly

a time of great trade, commerce, and most importantly, a great time for the arts. I have been

noted as a great scholar of theology and languages. I have been schooled by previous kings on

the intricacies of foreign affairs and court dealings. Even before I took the throne, I have shown
extreme strength. When I was a young boy, I was very sickly and not expected to survive past

my teens. Through rigorous self-imposed exercises, I quickly made improvements in my health

and became a star at various sports. These are the reasons why I feel like I could be a great ruler

of Not-England.

While I realize that my reputation may be been soiled by my enemies, the many

successful changes I have contributed to England during my eleven-year free reign is a testament

to my candidacy. I have single handedly led various campaigns for peace with France and Spain,

and because of my efforts, trade between our countries flourished and created a time of economic

stability. With this new-found funding for my court, I commissioned many great works of art

from great artists such as Rubens and Van Dyck. I also used those funds to build up England’s

Navy to keep the country safe. People refer to these times before the eventual little Civil War I

am dealing with right now, as a “Golden Age”. These examples prove my effectiveness on

handling foreign affairs and the tricky realm of economics.

I have learned that you have had many other applicants for this position, including Peter

the Great. While Peter the Great was admittedly great, I am a vastly superior ruler in almost all

aspects. I have much more ambition and strength as a ruler than Peter the Great could ever hope

to achieve. From a young age I have struggled through various setbacks, from being born sickly

and weak, inheriting the throne while the nation was in uproar, to fighting with the buffoons

known as Parliament. What did Peter the Great do to inherit the throne you may ask? Quite

frankly nothing! He inherited a stable throne with all the willing support he could want, while I

had to earn my crown and title. Another area where I am superior to Peter the Mediocre is in our

running of our nations’ social classes. Keeping with my ancestor’s traditions. I rejected the

feudal system we used in the past, while Peter the “Great” stuck to those ancient, dysfunctional
roots of that system, which has been renamed serfdom. As a result of Peter the Great’s errors,

Russia has been prevented from ever westernizing fully and the country has been locked in a

bygone era. For these reasons, I believe I would be the superior candidate for the job of absolute

ruler.

In closing, I trust you will find my application to meet your standards. With my

experience and tenacity, we can make Not-England great again with me King Charles I as your

divine ruler. May this letter reach you in good health and God bless.

Sincerely,

King Charles I
 Bibliography

Ashley, Maurice. "Charles I." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc, 7 Mar.

2017. Web. 12 Nov. 2017. <https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-I-king-of-

Great-Britain-and-Ireland>.

"Charles I." The Royal Household. The Royal Household. Web. 12 Nov. 2017.

<https://www.royal.uk/charles-i-r-1625-1649>.

Plant, David. "King Charles the First, 1600-1649." Biography of King Charles the First., 20 Jan.

2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2017. <http://bcw-project.org/biography/charles-the-first>.