One of the most probably loving kings was the son of the executed Charles 1 of England.
I got hold of portraits here on the net (I think that all of his mistresses). True, not in color, but still glad.
I propose for wide familiarization, along with a short note about the personality of Charles 2 himself.

Charles II (Eng. Charles II, May 29, 1630 - February 6, 1685) - King of England and Scotland from 1660,

The only warning! It's still hard to read the names on the enlarged image. I barely figured out the glasses. It's a shame :(

Official title of the series: The beauties of the court of Charles the Second; a series of portraits, illustrating the diaries of Pepys, Evelyn, Clarendon, and other contemporary writers. With memoirs, biographical and critical, by Mrs. Jameson. The portraits from copies made for Her late Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte, by Mr. Murphy. (published 1833)

Prince of Wales, son of King Charles I and Henrietta of France. English king (since 1660), from the Stuart dynasty. His proclamation as king meant the restoration of the monarchy in England.
Charles was born on May 29, 1630. With a charming face, he resembled his mother, and in character he was like his grandfather, King Henry IV. Amorous in childhood, insatiably voluptuous in youth and adulthood, depraved in old age - Charles II gradually turned from an Epicurean into a cynic, setting an example of extreme unbridled morals throughout the court.
When Charles I began to quarrel with the people, the young Prince of Wales was sent to The Hague and placed in the care of William of Orange. The news of the course of the struggle of the king of England with his subjects became more alarming day by day; the unfortunate Queen Henrietta went to France to beg for help to the wife of the almighty Richelieu, and then to Cardinal Mazarin. Almost all European sovereigns sympathized with the English king, but none of them provided him with significant assistance.
At a time when his father was languishing in captivity with his subjects, his eighteen-year-old son spent time in love affairs, winning victories over beauties of easy virtue.
In 1648, the Prince of Wales met the mistress of Colonel Robert Sidney, the charming Lucy Walters, in The Hague, and fell head over heels in love with her. Moreover, he did not immediately achieve reciprocity. Colonel Sidney treated the piquant situation philosophically: having learned about the king's feelings for his kept woman, he generously decided that Lucy was free to do as she saw fit.
The Prince of Wales immediately took Lucy to him, and she was not slow to announce her pregnancy soon. In 1649, the favorite gave birth to Karl's son Jacob. According to the testimony of the king's inner circle, the real father of the newborn was not the prince, but Robert Sidney, to whom the child was strikingly similar, even on the cheek was marked with a mole, just like Lucy's benefactor ... But love blinds. The courtesan shouldn't have great work to convince the Prince of Wales that he was the father of her child, and Charles did not hesitate to recognize him as his.
He spent whole days in the company of his mistress, obeyed her unquestioningly, forewarned her slightest desires; spent on her whims the last money from the modest subsidies issued to him by William of Orange. The news of the execution of Charles I interrupted this idyll for a while and forced the prince - who now inherited after his father royal title to do things befitting his rank.

In the spring of 1649, after tenderly saying goodbye to Lucy Walters, Charles II went to Ireland, where the Marquis of Ormonde fought for the royal crown. From here, with a small detachment of soldiers, Charles crossed to Scotland. As if wishing to make amends for the recent betrayal and betrayal of Charles I, the Scots enthusiastically met his son, welcoming him as the rightful king.
Returning from Scotland, Charles II granted his son by Lucy Walters the title of Earl of Orkney, Duke of Monmouth and Knight of the Garter. The dearest Lucy was long forgotten by Charles II - during his trip to Scotland, she behaved unacceptably freely in The Hague and finally earned herself a reputation as a corrupt woman.
It must be said of the king that in his sexual desires he was indomitable. It was indifferent to him how to achieve a woman; he dealt with husbands quickly and simply. Ugly as a mortal sin, the king could, having taken possession of a woman, immediately reject her. He changed women like gloves. But at the same time, Charles II took care of his health, summer evenings he went to the river at Putney for a swim, and in the mornings, when everyone else was resting in bed, exhausted by the excesses of the night, he rose with the sun and played tennis on the palace court for two hours. He was engaged in many cases, was a smart and subtle politician and economist. The king could successfully carry on a conversation about astronomy, architecture, horticulture, antiques and beekeeping.

But at the same time, with the accession of Charles II, talk about abstinence and the dangers of illegal relationships stopped. The venerable Kapfig, a good-natured panegherist of the blessed old times and of all favorites in general, describes the court of Charles II in this way: “It was difficult to find a court more elegant, more frivolous, richer in intrigue and beauties. Among the noblest beauties were especially noticeable: the Countess Castleman, later the Duchess of Cleveland, the Countess of Chesterfield, the Countess of Shrewsbury, the Countess of Middleton, the maiden Hamilton, who married the Earl of Gramont, and Miss Franziska Stewart, the king's mistress. All these brilliant ladies could boldly compete with the first beauties of the Versailles court, which they took as a model. The court was occupied with the forthcoming marriage of the king with the Portuguese infanta (Catherine), whose hand the king officially asked the court of Lisbon. The Infanta was not distinguished by either beauty or intelligence: in this choice of Charles II leading role politics played; in addition, they gave her an excellent dowry in full-weight doubloons, and the king was constantly in need of money. He was extravagant, but he was tired of begging for subsidies from Parliament, which each time entered into an argument when it came to issuing money.
Charles II's mistress, Miss Franziska Stuart, deserves special attention. Cavalier Gramont, who left precious information about the court of Charles II as a warning to posterity, wrote: “She had a childishly funny character; a penchant for amusements, decent only for a twenty-year-old girl. Her favorite game was blind man's buff. She loved to build houses of cards, at a time when she was in her house big game, and helpful courtiers supplied her building materials and showed her the buildings new architecture. She also loved music and singing. The Duke of Buckingham was good at building houses of cards, he sang beautifully, composed songs and children's stories, which Miss Stewart was crazy about; but he was particularly successful in noticing the funny features in the manners and in the conversation of others, and skillfully imitating them. In a word, Buckingham was such an unsurpassed actor and pleasant conversationalist that not a single meeting could do without him. Miss Stewart was inseparable from him in her amusements, and if he did not come to her with the king, she immediately sent for him.
The king, his brother Jacob and cousin Charles Stewart Duke of Richmond. The minx cohabited with all three so that no one would be offended. In addition to three admirers from the royal family, her lovers were: Buckingham - a card architect, Mondeville, Carlington and Digby, who committed suicide out of love for her. Carl's relationship with Miss Stewart did not prevent him from cohabiting at the same time with Lady Castleman and actresses Nellie Gwyn and Molly Davis...

Francis lived in White Hall Palace, where Charles II visited her quite often. Ruining the treasury for the construction of St. James, the king said that it was hard for him to live in the palace where his father was executed. However, these noble feelings of respect did not prevent Charles II from visiting White Hall almost daily, where such orgies were held that even Messalina could blush. One night, Francis, Lady Barbara Castleman, Nellie Gwyn, Molly Davis, and a whole harem of girls, in the presence of the king, parodied the wedding. Lady Castleman acted as the groom, Franziska Stewart as the bride, and the rest as priests and witnesses. The rite was accompanied by all church and public ceremonies; the newlyweds were laid by the bed, where they indulged in amorous pastimes. The king himself sang frivolous songs, accompanying himself on the guitar, naked favorites danced before him, swaying their hips; the wine flowed like a river, and the holiday ended in a perfect bacchanalia ...
The Duke of Richmond, blinded by passion for Francis, finally decided to secretly marry her. Then jealousy arose in the heart of Charles II. He disbanded his harem; spent days and nights with Francisca. It was even rumored that he wanted to divorce the queen and marry his beloved. Francis immediately realized that it was much more profitable for her to marry Richmond than to live with the king. She pretended to be ill, stopped accepting Charles II, preparing to run away with Richmond. Disappointed, Charles II complained about her to his other favorite, Lady Castleman. She advised him to visit the patient and meet with the attending physician Babiani.
Carl, following her advice, literally broke into the bedroom of the favorite and saw ... Francis in the arms of Richmond. The king burst into cursing like a drunken sailor. The lovers froze in horror.
Richmond from the bedroom was sent to the Tower, where he spent three weeks (from March 31 to April 21, 1655). Immediately after the release, Richmond and Francis Stuart fled to Kent and secretly married there. Miss Stewart returned to the king all the diamonds they had given him.
Charles II did not sulk for long at the traitor, then took steps towards reconciliation, and the Duchess of Richmond, the young wife, again found herself in the arms of her lover, assuring the king of unfailing fidelity and, on occasion, robbing him. Francis's husband died in 1670, and she in 1700 or 1701, leaving behind a huge fortune.
Before Charles II English theaters female roles in plays were performed by young men, and sometimes by adult men; prim Presbyterian women considered it a mortal sin to go out on the stage. In the first year of his reign, Charles II expressed a desire that women should also be included in theatrical troupes.

0Among the first to enter the stage were the charming Nellie Gwyn and Molly Davis, who almost immediately found themselves in the royal harem. Beauty and talent replaced them with noble diplomas. Noble ladies looked with disdain at comedians who dared to compete with them in the struggle for the attention of the king. It took the intervention of Charles II to get his noble mistresses to reconcile with the plebeians. They sat at the same table.
0Nellie, dexterous, graceful, danced and sang beautifully. Her influence on the king was so great that if she asked Charles II to execute someone, the king would no doubt fulfill her whim. Fortunately, Nellie was not bloodthirsty, and together with Molly Davis lured jewelry and gifts from the king ..
Nellie Gwyn, according to chroniclers, was born in an attic; as a child, she sold fish, then she sang on the street and in taverns. Finally, the actors Garth and Lacey noticed her, with their help she ended up in the royal theater. Here Lord Dorset noticed her and took her into his care. Charles II, having given him a place at the embassy in France, lured the beauty to him for an annual reward of 500 pounds. Four years later, this salary increased to 60,000. It is noteworthy that the king sympathized with Nelly until his death in 1685 and, thanks to her concerns, patronized the theater. Theater artists, at the behest of Charles II, were called courtiers and were listed on public service. When the issue of taxing the actors was considered in Parliament, this proposal was rejected on the pretext that the actors serve for the amusement of the king.
"Actors or actresses?" one of the members of the lower house joked inadvertently. Why careless? Yes, because for this impudent joke, a member of parliament had his nose cut, which replaced him with a hard labor stigma.
The actress Molly Davis was in the care of the Duke of Buckingham, who recommended her to Charles II. She was famous for singing songs of frivolous content, accompanying them with completely indecent body movements. But this is exactly what the English padishah liked. Molly Davis had a daughter from Charles II, named Mary Tudor and subsequently married to an earl.
Two titled ladies competed with the actresses: the famous Miss Francis Stuart and the Countess Barbara Castleman, with whom the king had become close during a trip to Holland. The Countess, at least, was not inferior to her rivals in beauty and debauchery.
Barbara devoted herself to the service of Venus from the age of fifteen. Her seducer was Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, a married man and monstrously ugly; but this beauty has always had a special propensity for freaks. Barbara, not in the least embarrassed, asserted that ugly people are more passionate than beautiful people indulge in love. They idolize a woman, cherish her, are jealous ... while handsome men, even loved by beautiful women, are rarely constant. In a word, Barbara had her own philosophy.

To hide the consequences of her association with the Earl of Chesterfield, she married Rogers, Earl of Castleman, a hideous dwarf but fabulously wealthy; only in religious convictions could these lovely spouses converge, since both were Catholics. Soon after the wedding, the couple went to Holland to live with Charles II, who was in exile. The husband opened his wallet to him, the wife - a passionate embrace.
Upon his arrival in London, Charles II rewarded the good cuckold by giving him, at his request, the post of warden of the prison of the king's bench; then made him a baron, and finally an earl of Castleman. Two months later, his son was born. The countess, hoping that Charles II would recognize him as her own, wanted to christen him according to the Protestant rite, the count - according to the Catholic. Despite Barbara's protests, the baby was anointed with myrrh and baptized, giving a Catholic name. The offended mother complained to the king, and he ordered his son to be baptized a second time as a Protestant, and he himself was his godfather, and the godmother was the Countess of Suffolk.
Perhaps King Solomon himself could not have resolved this dispute better. The newborn had two fathers, a Catholic and a Protestant, and had to be baptized twice. True, it was not entirely Christian when father at the same time he was godfather, but in the eyes of Charles II it was a trifle, unworthy of attention. Soon the couple quarreled and parted. The husband went to France, the wife moved to her brother in Richmond.
Three years later, Earl Castleman returned to his homeland and was met by his wife, who presented him, in addition to the eldest son, another one - Henry, Earl of Grifton, and two months later she gave him a third - George ... It was already too much, and the count demanded a formal divorce, to which Charles II expressed his gracious consent, but on the condition that the earl immediately go abroad and on no pretext return to England. Castleman obeyed; however, six months later he came to London to publish with the English Jesuits the "Apology of the English Catholics", written in a rather outrageous spirit.

The author was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower. Charles II was outraged not so much by the book as by the unauthorized return of the count. The arrest of Castleman served as a signal to the detractors of the king: a lot of lampoons and cartoons appeared on the shelves, which royal favorite dared to pout her lips. Fearing her wrath, Charles II ordered the release of the prisoner, and the count retired to Holland.
During this time, Barbara Castleman changed lovers daily, almost hourly; like Messalina, disguised, she went around the brothels, choosing beautiful sailors, artisans, lackeys as lovers, buying their caresses for the gold generously squandered on her by the king. Blinded by love, he unquestioningly obeyed her. She demanded money - and golden rain fell on her; wished to be a duchess - the ducal crown was granted to her; asked the king to recognize her children, born to her by no one - Charles II legitimized them, giving them ducal titles. This lovely lady died at an advanced age in the reign of William III. Before the appearance at the court of Charles II, Louise de Kerual (later the Duchess of Portsmouth), Barbara Castleman had a huge influence on him.
Saint Evremont, Gramont and the Duke of Buckingham were servants and servants of the royal mistresses. For Nellie Gwyn and Molly Davis, Buckingham composed songs and danced with them at royal orgies; beautiful Miss Stewart built houses of cards, told funny stories and kissed the legs; Barbara Castleman kissed her hands and took care of her dogs...
Until 1668, the king was content with homegrown beauties. He recklessly spent the treasury on them, and in orgies with them - health. At the end of 1668, a great upheaval took place in his harem, which had a tremendous impact both on himself and on state affairs. And it was like this...
Parliament tried with all its might to persuade the king to enter into an alliance with Holland, a recent enemy and rival of England. This supposed alliance was dangerous to France, and Louis XIV decided to thwart it at all costs. His envoy in England, the Marquis of Tallard, informed that Charles II was leaning towards Parliament, and advised taking urgent measures, Louis XIV turned to the mediation of Charles II's sister, who lived in France, Henriette of England, Duchess of Orleans. He relied, first, on tender friendship brother to sister, secondly, on her diplomatic abilities, thirdly, on her ladies-in-waiting, beautiful, coquettish and crafty. Among them, Mademoiselle Louise de Kerual stood out, a Brittany noblewoman, her family descended almost from the Druids. Judging by the portraits that have come down to us, Louise was a fiery brunette, with cheerful black eyes, a childishly plump face and luxurious, curly hair. She entered the court of Henrietta very young, and this school of debauchery went to her advantage. The theory (and partly the practice) of coquetry, the maiden Kerual studied to perfection; she had no end to her admirers, but she was so smart and knew her own worth that all the efforts of court ladies' men to win the beauty's heart were in vain. She was waiting for a profitable buyer, and soon such a buyer was found.

To veil true reason Henrietta's trip to England, Louis XIV invited her to accompany him to the newly conquered flaneur regions. Arriving in Ostend, the Duchess of Orleans, with her best ladies-in-waiting, boarded a ship and arrived in London, where Charles II, having been notified in advance by letter, was already waiting for her. From the very first meeting, his amorous eyes rested on Louise Kerual. He was captivated and fascinated. The elegant manners of the Frenchwoman, her smart, lively speech, coquettish bashfulness and appropriate swagger - all these qualities, which neither Miss Stewart, nor Nellie, etc., could not but catch the eye of Charles II. The obliging sister offered him the girl Kerual as a reward for an alliance with France, and the king was unable to resist the temptation. The Chevaliers Gramont and Saint-Evremont successfully assumed the roles of pimps, and the Anglo-French alliance was completed. "The silk belt of the maiden Kerual connected France with England!" Saint-Evremond wrote. For a courtesan, women's belts and garters served as bonds that connected the powers among themselves! .. Leaving the girl Kerual in England, Henrietta returned to France and a few months later, poisoned on June 30, 1670, she died.
On the instructions of the Duchess of Portsmouth (Louise Kerual), the king declared freedom of religion. He gave permission to Presbyterians, Puritans, and Catholics everywhere to build churches and preach sermons. The Duke of York, the king's brother, who had attended English churches for five years, declared himself a follower of the Roman Catholic Church. Neither the parliament nor the people could take this royal decree in a friendly manner. English priests spread rumors that Charles II, obeying his Catholic mistress, intends to change the faith of his parents.
The subsidies paid by Louis XIV to Charles II finally dropped the king in the eyes of the people. Ministers urged him to act with the people in the Cromwellian way, in other words, to take him in iron claws; the Duchess of Portsmouth was of the same opinion; and what could the enamored king refuse her? Could he argue with her, especially at the time when she announced to him about her interesting position. The son born to her, at birth, received the ducal titles of Richmond, Lennox, he was granted the royal coat of arms.
The king's affection for the Duchess of Portsmouth increased day by day. Blinded by love, he left his former favorites ... He had long forgotten to think about his wife. She, poor thing, attributed her husband's indifference to her not to his voluptuousness, but solely to the fact that she bore him no heirs. In the most difficult moments of loneliness, the queen consoled herself with the thought that Charles II would become emotionally attached to her if she would please him with the birth of a son; but could she be a mother, being a wife in name only? She prayed constantly, went on a pilgrimage to Tiburn in the hope that God would perform a miracle, and Charles II would burn with love for her. But these hopes were not destined to come true.

The rivals of the Duchess of Portsmouth were jealous of the king for her and would not spare money, if only to overthrow the mighty favorite. Francis Stewart and Barbara Castleman, themselves unfaithful to Charles II, loudly reproached him for treason and inconstancy; but Nellie Gwyn, in her indignation, was more just and logical than they were. She ventured into an open struggle with the foreign beauty, and at first was a dangerous rival to Louise de Kerual in her fawning and wooing the king.
The rapprochement with Holland was quickly reflected in the social and court life of England. The king, and after him the nobles, ceased to imitate the French in dress and lifestyle; patriarchal simplicity supplanted recent luxury; velvet, lace, brocade, diamonds disappeared, and they were replaced by cloth, linen, woolen fabrics, steel, ivory. Balls and performances, recognized as demonic amusements, were replaced by sermons, reading " Paradise Lost", the Bible.
Charles II turned from a sybarite almost into a Stoic, or even more surprisingly, a Trapist. Almost all of the royal mistresses were married by this time, with the exception of the Duchess of Portsmouth. She, imitating the favorite of the king Louis XIV Lavalier, told Charles II about her repentance, about her desire to enter a monastery ... As for the favorites who got married, it is noteworthy that they chose their procurers as their spouses; so, Lord Littleton married Miss Templel, Chevalier Gramont married Miss Hamilton...

When Parliament passed a bill for the expulsion of Catholics from England, Charles II was indignant. Did the Queen and Duchess of Portsmouth have to leave the country according to this bill? Of course, it was not the fate of the queen that worried Charles II. A subtle politician, without mentioning her, the king stood up for his wife: “I am not Henry VIII,” he declared to the House of Commons, “I will not divorce my good and honest wife for her infertility ... "" And I will not let my mistress go away from me! his tender heart told him.
Having dissolved parliament, the king again entered into friendly relations with France, corresponded with Louis XIV, and the duchess with the latter's mistress, the Duchess of Montespan.
Decrepit from debauchery and drunkenness, in the last two years of his life, Charles II looked like a living, tinted and toasted mummy: he moved his legs with difficulty, walked hunched over and generally was a living or, rather, half-dead example, to which debauchery can bring a person.
On February 6, 1685, a stroke of paralysis cut short the life of Charles II in his fifty-fifth year from birth and in his twenty-fifth reign. The Duchess of Portsmouth played her role to the end: during the life of Charles II, she forced him to change the oath given to the people, on his deathbed she persuaded him to change his religion. At her insistence, the king, dying, confessed to a Catholic, almost Jesuit priest, and the Duchess of Portsmouth said with tears after his death: “For all the graces of my late benefactor, I saved his soul, converting him from heresy and returning him to the bosom of the only saving church! »

King of England and Scotland from the Stuart dynasty, who ruled in 1660-- 1685

gg. Son of Charles I and Henrietta of France. Woman: from 1662 Catherine, daughter

At the very beginning of the revolution, the young Karl was taken to Holland for

care of William of Orange. After the execution of his father, he became the leader

royalists and for several years waged a stubborn war against the English Republic.

So, in 1649 he led the disaffected in Ireland, and in next year became

at the head of the Scottish rebels. Both of these wars were unsuccessful for Charles. 3

September at the Battle of Donber, Cromwell defeated his army and occupied Edinburgh. AT

1651 Charles suffered another crushing defeat at Worcester. Almost all

his companions were taken prisoner, and he himself was exposed to many dangers.

Once, hiding from his pursuers, he spent the whole day in the thick

oak branches. Finally, after many ordeals, Karl was able to board the ship and

crossed over to France. As long as Cromwell lived, the Stuarts had no hope.

return to power. But after the death of the protector, when the leading role in the army

General Monk began to play, they had hope. Early in 1660 Monk

occupied London with his army. Soon the members of the Long Parliament, expelled in

December 1648 from its membership, were reintroduced to the House of Commons. From these

so far the moderate party has had a majority and a preponderance in all decisions. In March

she passed a law dissolving the Long Parliament and recognizing

illegal of all his decrees adopted after 1648. Thus,

The bill that abolished the monarchy and the House of Lords was repealed. In April Monk

entered into secret negotiations with Charles, who was then in Brussels, and

announced that he was ready to obey the royal orders. Meanwhile in England

elections were held for a new parliament in which the royalists had a predominant

Charles landed at Dover, where Monk met him, and four days later

solemnly entered the capital. On the same day he approved the Magna Carta,

Petitions for Rights and the Statute for the Power of Parliament to Impose Taxes. King

announced that he would grant forgiveness to all who over the next forty days

declare his allegiance to the monarchy. However, from the general amnesty were excluded

judges who sentenced Charles I to death.

new king was an ugly and unsympathetic man, but he had a clever

and expressive face, possessed of great personal charm and graceful manner.

He was free from many of the religious prejudices of his ancestors,

had free and enough open-minded interested in natural science

mechanics and navigation. Its main weakness was the inability to

diligent work: he was always afraid of rough work and his participation in

management limited only what he planned political course, a

entrusted its development and execution to others. Carl was not afraid to communicate with

people: boldly appeared in crowded places, at city holidays,

mingled with the crowd and easily talked to the commoners. Every day he

participated in merry drinking parties and atrocities arranged by his

high-society drinking companions, was constantly surrounded by frivolous

women, jesters and inveterate wits, loved bold witticisms and well-aimed

answers, he himself was an inexhaustible talker, knew an abyss of all kinds of anecdotes and

loved to tell them.

The king was considered a great lover and connoisseur of beautiful women. His

love affairs began with a very early age, and the first illegal

he had a child at the age of 16. Then he had a lot of such children.

Cromwell's spies who followed Charles on his wanderings through Europe

gladly informed about his novels. After the restoration, Karl returned to

England, accompanied official mistress Barbara Palmer. Not too much

jealous, he shared it with many of his friends. The four children of Barbara Karl

recognized for theirs. For the others, he wasn't so sure.

All the pretty women who appeared at the English court, in the end

became mistresses of the king. It was considered absolutely incredible that

the woman who liked Karl dared to evade the monarch

mercy. The queen was not bad-looking, but brought up in a monastery

strict rules, did not know how to shine, was shy, and therefore her husband

frankly neglected her. Since 1671, Louise Kerualle became Charles's favorite,

a Frenchwoman by birth, who came to London in the retinue of Carl's sister

Henriette of Orleans. At the English court, she almost openly played the role

diplomatic agent of the French king. Her efforts are largely

the measure must be attributed to the strengthening of the Anglo-French alliance. She had a huge

influence on all affairs, and her apartments were more luxurious than those of the queen. In 1673

Louise received the title of Duchess of Portsmouth. To her son from her king

conferred the title of Duke of Richmond. Not limited court ladies,

the king had many affairs with women of the lower classes and especially with actresses.

In England, where Puritan traditions were very strong, these scandalous

adventures did not bring popularity to the king. In spite of their debauchery,

Karl was a good politician. He lacked neither personal courage nor a clear

understanding political interests. While that parliament of supporters sat

moderate party, who invited the king, Charles followed the policy

religious tolerance. But, after in 1661 they won the elections

followers of the Anglican Episcopal Church, an ecclesiastical reaction began.

Every Member of Parliament was required to take communion in the Anglican rite if

did not want to lose his title. Only he could be a pastor who was

ordained as a bishop. On the basis of the "Act of Conformity" issued

in August 1662, two thousand Presbyterian pastors were expelled from

their arrivals. In subsequent years, the persecution of Presbyterians intensified.

The royalists were given back their confiscated estates. New censorship charter

forbade the discussion of political issues. Soon all newspapers except

official, were banned. The parliament elected in 1662 was so obedient

the king that he swore not to dissolve it as long as possible.

Next elections were held only in 1679 and brought victory

liberals. After that, the reaction mode softened considerably. Parliament

abolished censorship and restored freedom of speech. A very important law was passed

"on individual freedom", which protected citizens from arbitrary arrests. AT

At the same time, the English parliamentary system was finally formed and

two parties were formed - the Tories (unconditional supporters of the king and

Church of England, representing the interests rural population and

landowners) and Whigs (were in opposition to the king, recognized the important

the importance of trade, the City of London, the development of navigation and preached

religious tolerance). In 1681, Charles dissolved Parliament and ruled until his death.

alone.

it is clear that his days are numbered, brother Jacob secretly led to the dying

the Catholic priest to whom the king confessed his sins. Before

death, he, with his usual courtesy, asked for forgiveness from the courtiers

for tiring them with his death agony.

Charles II (1630-1685), English king (since 1660) from the Stuart dynasty.

During English revolution was forced to leave the country and go to the continent. After the execution of his father (1649), the Scottish Parliament proclaimed Charles king. But in the war with O. Cromwell, the Scots were defeated. Charles, who lost his throne, was forced to settle in exile in Holland.

In 1660, after the death of Cromwell, war broke out in England between his generals. General Monk, having taken London, entered into negotiations with Charles on the restoration of the monarchy. At the invitation of the "convention" convened by Monck, Charles returned to England and succeeded to the throne.

First, the king guaranteed the inviolability of the results of the revolution. But when he became convinced that in the newly elected parliament the majority of deputies belonged to the “party of the court”, he refused the promised amnesty to those involved in the regicide in 1649, began to return the lands seized during the revolution, restored state status The Anglican Church and its episcopal structure.

Charles continued the policy of religious tolerance towards Catholics. His brother and heir, James, Duke of York, was a Catholic. In 1672 the Catholics were granted the same rights as the Puritans.

In 1679 Parliament, the majority of which was the opposition (the Whig party), passed a law according to which no one could be imprisoned except by a court order.

In 1681-1685. Charles brutally cracked down on the Whigs. In his policy, he enjoyed the full support of the King of France, Louis XIV, who promised him armed intervention in the event of a recurrence of turmoil. In turn, Karl broke off the alliance concluded in 1668 with the enemy of France - Holland, and in 1672-1674. waged war with her.

Charles II 1630-1685

The son and namesake of Charles I was in many ways the opposite of his father. The charming bon vivant turned out to be a clever politician who not only managed to regain the throne lost by the Stuarts, but also turned England into a country that Europe began to reckon with.

Charles was the second but eldest surviving child of Charles I and Henrietta Maria. He was born in London, in St. James's Palace, on May 29, 1630. He spent his childhood among a steadily increasing number of brothers and sisters in suburban residences, mainly in Richmond and Hampton Court.

The deteriorating relationship between Charles I and his subjects very quickly affected the fate of the young prince. First, the parliament, dissatisfied with the training of the future monarch, demanded that his tutor be replaced. Then, when an open conflict broke out between the king and his opponents.

Charles accompanied his father for a long time in the next royalist camps. When the scales began to tip towards Parliament, the king decided that the prince should go to France. The son initially refused, but in the spring of 1646 he finally joined his mother, who was at the court of his nephew Louis XIV.

When the Scots first captured Charles I and handed him over to the English Parliament, and later decided to support the king, it was his eldest son who was invited in May 1648 to lead Scotland's invasion of England. At this time, young Charles moved from France to The Hague, where he began to form detachments, at the head of which he could return to the country to support the royalist uprising, and negotiated with Scottish envoys. However, both ventures ended in failure.

King Charles II Stuart. John Michael Wright. 17th century… National Portrait Gallery, UK

Charles I with children: Mary, James II and Charles II. 17th century, private collection

The situation changed dramatically after litigation and the execution of Charles I in January 1649. The prince became King Charles II and began new preparations for a war to regain power. He resumed negotiations with the Scots, who, hearing of the beheading of Charles I, proclaimed Charles II their new monarch; he also began to actively seek international support for his claim to the throne - his diplomats arrived in most European courts, even in Russia, asking for financial and political assistance for their monarch. In June 1650, Charles landed in Scotland, but he was still unable to reach an agreement with some of the local politicians. In spite of difficult situation(Cromwell's victory at Dunbar on September 3, 1650), he managed to prevent the English occupation, and on January 1, 1651 he ascended the throne of Scotland.

During next months both sides were preparing for a decisive battle. As a result, in September, at the battle of Worcester, the army of the Republic defeated the supporters of the Stuarts, and Charles was forced to flee. For several weeks he hid in England, being transferred by his supporters from one hiding place to another: in the ruins of old monasteries, in private houses, in barns and even in an empty oak in the middle. He managed to survive, despite being assigned to his head high award and the danger that threatened the people who hid him. The severity of his situation was aggravated by his high growth (about 190 cm), because of which he was easily recognizable. However, in the end, Charles, in the clothes of a simple servant, managed to get to the coast and cross over to Normandy.

The following years passed under the sign of endless and fruitless attempts to create international coalition, which could defeat Cromwell and return the monarch to England. Neither the Anglo-Dutch (1652-1654) nor the Anglo-Spanish (1655-1660) wars served this purpose. True, Charles managed to form several regiments that, under his leadership, fought on the side of the Spaniards in Flanders, but this enterprise ended in defeat at the Battle of Dunkirk (June 1658).

However, within a few months the situation changed dramatically: first Oliver Cromwell died, then France and Spain began peace talks, and in the end, power in England passed to General George Monk, who convened the so-called Long Parliament dissolved by Cromwell. In the spring of 1660, events began to unfold with kaleidoscopic speed: Monk entered into an agreement with Charles, who had been in the Netherlands all this time, and on April 4 he published the Breda Declaration, in which he announced amnesties for supporters of the Republic and guaranteed the inviolability of their property. On April 25, a new parliament met, and on May 1, the restoration of the monarchy was announced. On May 29, 1660, Charles II solemnly entered London, greeted by crowds of his subjects.

The monarch had no illusions about his reign. He was aware of the deep split in society and, probably, therefore, in the first years of power, he pursued a rather moderate policy.

THE MOTHER OF CHARLES II, HENRIETTA MARIA OF BOURBON, WERE VERY NOT LOVED IN ENGLAND. THEREFORE, IN 1644, SHE AND THE CHILDREN WAS FORCED TO FLIGHT TO SAVE HER AND THEIR LIVES. HER HUSBAND, CHARLES I, WERE LESS LUCKY: IN 1649, HIS HEAD BEEPED OFF.

Oliver Cromwell silver pocket watch, 17th century, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK

Instead of looking for ways to take revenge on the opponents of his father (this, however, did not apply to the persons who signed the death warrant of Charles I - they were forced to flee, and those who were captured were executed), the king first of all tried to create a strong army, developed economy and tried to achieve a relative balance on the political scene.

In 1662, feeling the need to give the country an heir to the throne, the king married the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza. The new queen was a Catholic, which caused discontent among her subjects, but unlike Henrietta Maria, she did not show particular political ambitions. The marriage was not very successful: Karl was known as a connoisseur of female beauty and in the past was famous for his passionate romances, the fruit of which were many illegitimate children. Catherine, in turn, could not be called a beauty. The monarch himself made it clear to his courtiers that he was dissatisfied with the external data of his bride, exclaiming after their first meeting: “Gentlemen, instead of a wife, you brought me bat!" The queen became pregnant several times, but each time it ended in a miscarriage. Karl tried to treat his wife with respect and provide her with decent conditions, which, however, did not stop him from trying to make her first lady-in-waiting Barbara Palmer, Countess of Castelmein, his most famous mistress and mother at least five of their children.

Later, the king spared no effort to strengthen the position of England on international arena and improve economic situation in the country. Not all of his undertakings were successful: the first war with Holland, which he waged, despite the return of New Amsterdam (now New York), can hardly be called successful. At the same time, the strengthening of, for example, the position of the East India Company laid the foundation for the later dominance of Britain in this region.

In questions domestic policy Carl had to find a solution to several difficult problems. One of them was religion: some of his subjects believed that the king's policy in matters of religion I was too tolerant towards Catholics. Added to this was the problem of succession to the throne. When it became clear that Charles would probably not have a legitimate heir, his pro-Catholic younger brother James, the Duke of York, became his successor. The situation worsened after the beginning of the anti-Catholic hysteria associated j with the Papist conspiracy (1678). Charles, trying to maintain social balance, first sent Jacob to the Continent, and then to Scotland, after which he took control of the upbringing of his daughters in the Protestant faith.

The king's relationship with parliament remained tense, even with the support of some politicians, who, for example, protested attempts to change the law of succession and exclude Jacob from the number of heirs. Several times it was revealed that attempts were being made on the king's life. However, the fact remains that despite the political confusion, the king was popular among the people. One of the descriptions of his visit to Newmarket (a well-known riding center to this day) reads: “The King had a great time there, being a lover of the entertainment for which this place is famous. Regardless of his position, he behaved like one of the many gentlemen who came there. He did not shy away from people, talked with everyone who wanted to talk to him, went falconry in the morning, attended cockfights during the day (if there were no races), and in the evenings in the barn watched the performances of a troupe of wandering magicians ... "

Portrait of little Charles II with a dog. Anthony van Dyck, 17th century, private collection

CHARLES II WAS FAMOUS FOR HIS LOVE ADVENTURES. HE HAD MANY ILLEGAL CHILDREN. HIS LOVERS WERE INCLUDED CATHERINE PEGGE, LADY GREEN, NOBILITY LUCY WALTER, ELIZABETH KILLIGREW II LOUISE RENE DE KEROUAL, DUCHESS OF PORTSMOUTH.

During the reign of Charles, London was devastated by two disasters: the plague in the summer of 1665 and the Great Fire in September 1666. The capital was able to rebuild fairly quickly, also thanks to the monarch, who made every effort to restore the palaces and houses of ordinary residents. True, due to significant financial constraints, the king was not able to completely rebuild the city center, but he greatly contributed to the creation of the most beautiful work of European architecture, designed by Christopher Wren, which is well known to us - the majestic St. Paul's Cathedral. Another achievement of the king was the foundation of the world's most famous association of scientists - the Royal Scientific Society.

Entry of Charles II into Whitehall in 1660. Alfred Burron Clay, Museum and Art Gallery in Bolton, UK, Lancashire

Tired of political disputes and the tense situation in the country, as well as not being the most in a healthy way life. Carl began to complain about feeling unwell. He died suddenly on February 6, 1685, at the age of 54, most likely from a hemorrhage.

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Charles II.
Reproduction from the website http://monarchy.nm.ru/

Charles II (29.V.1630 - 6.II.1685) - king since 1660 from the Stuart dynasty. Son of Charles I. Since 1646, after the defeat of the royalists in the 1st civil war(see English bourgeois revolution 17th century), emigrated to France, then to Holland. After the execution of Charles I (1649), he was proclaimed (in February 1649) by the Scottish Presbyterian Parliament as king. He made an attempt to turn Scotland into a stronghold for the English royalists, but was defeated by Cromwell at Dunbar (September 1650) and Worcester (September 1651). Once again in exile, he developed diplomatic activities hostile to revolutionary England. In May 1660, the English was proclaimed. parliament by the king (subject to the implementation of the Breda Declaration given by him, April 1660) and returned to London; the restoration of the Stuarts was the result of a conspiracy of the bourgeoisie and gentry with emigre counter-revolutionary royalist circles. Despite the promise to govern in agreement with the parliament, he introduced a regime in the country political reaction and counter-revolutionary terror, religious persecution, foreign policy subordinated to the interests of France.

Soviet historical encyclopedia. In 16 volumes. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1973-1982. Volume 7. KARAKEEV - KOSHAKER. 1965.

Charles II
Charles II Stuart
Charles II Stuart
Years of life: May 29, 1630 - February 6, 1685
Reigned: May 29, 1660 - February 6, 1685
Father: Charles I
Mother: Henrietta Maria French
Wife: Catherine of Portugal
No legitimate children
Illegitimate children
Sons: James Crofts, Charles Fitzcharles, Charles Fitzroy, Henry Fitzroy, George Fitzroy, Charles Beauclerk, James Beauclerk, Charles Lennox, Winifred Wells
Daughters: Mary Crofts, Charlotte Gemina Henrietta Maria Boyle, Katherine Fitzcharles, Ann Palmer, Charlotte Fitzroy, Barbara (Benedicta) Fitzroy, Mary Tudor, Hortense Mancini, Jane Roberts, Mary Sackville, Elizabeth Fitzgerald

At the very beginning of the revolution, the young Charles was transported to Holland and placed in the care of William of Orange. Growing up, Charles became the leader of the royalists and began the struggle against the republic. In 1649, he led a rebellion in Ireland, and a year later - in Scotland, but unsuccessfully. After the suppression of the uprising, Charles fled to France with great difficulty. After the death of Oliver Cromwell in 1658, his son Richard headed the republic, but a year later he resigned and power passed to General Monk. Fearing anarchy, he occupied London and returned to parliament the deputies expelled from it in 1648. Thus, the moderate parliamentarians gained a majority over the radical independents. Parliament repealed all its regulations adopted after 1648, including the bill that abolished the monarchy and the House of Lords, and dissolved itself. After the elections in the new parliament, the majority was with the royalists. Monk entered into negotiations with Karl and declared that he was ready to obey his orders. May 25, 1660 Charles landed in England, and 4 days later solemnly entered London. On the same day, he approved the Magna Carta, the Petitions of Rights and the Statute on the right of Parliament to impose taxes. An amnesty was declared for anyone who declared allegiance to the monarchy within 40 days. Amnesty did not affect only the judges who sentenced Charles I. Some of the regicides were executed, others received life imprisonment.

The new king had very broad views, was free from religious prejudices, was interested in natural science, mechanics and navigation. Karl was not afraid to communicate with the people, he often appeared in crowded places and talked with commoners.

As long as the moderate party prevailed in parliament, he showed religious tolerance. However, after the victory in the elections in 1661 of the followers of the Episcopal Church, Charles began the persecution of the Presbyterians. Censorship was introduced, all newspapers except official ones were banned, discussion of political issues was prohibited. This continued as long as the parliament, obedient to the king, was in operation. After the elections of 1679, the liberals prevailed in parliament. Censorship was abolished and a law "on individual freedom" was adopted, which protected citizens from unjustified arrests. By this time, the English parliamentary system had finally taken shape and two parties had formed - the Tories (unconditional supporters of the king and the Anglican Church, expressing the interests of the rural population and landowners) and the Whigs (they were in opposition to the king, recognized importance trade, the development of navigation and preached religious tolerance). In 1681, Charles dissolved parliament and ruled alone until his death.

From the foreign policy of Charles, it should be noted the First and Second Dutch Wars, which ended in complete defeat English fleet and the capture of the English flagship King Charles as a trophy. In 1662, Charles married the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza, receiving as a dowry Portuguese possessions in India, soon transferred to the control of the British East India Company.

Karl was rather ugly in appearance, but he had elegant manners, a sharp tongue, liked merry drinking parties and was constantly surrounded by women. Not a single beauty who appeared at court was left without his attention. Some of his favorites managed to achieve a fairly high position at court. So the Frenchwoman Louise Kerual received the title of Duchess of Portsmouth and had much more influence on public affairs than the queen, becoming in fact an intermediary in concluding an alliance between England and France. At the same time, the king had many novels with women of the lower classes. The abundance of love affairs did not bring him popularity in a country where Puritan traditions were strong. He openly neglected his wife, who was by no means an ugly woman, but a very modest woman who received a strict monastic upbringing, and, having about 14 illegitimate children recognized by him, did not acquire a legitimate heir.

In February 1685, the king had an apoplectic stroke, and a few days later, asking for forgiveness from the courtiers in his usual manner for having tired them with his agony, Charles died. Before his death, he secretly confessed to a Catholic priest, who was brought by the younger brother Jacob, who inherited Charles.

Used material from the site http://monarchy.nm.ru/

Charles II - King of England and Scotland from the Stuart dynasty, who ruled in 1660 - 1685 gg. Son Charles I and Henrietta of France.

Wife: from 1662 Catherine, daughter of King João IV of Portugal (born 1638 + 1705).

At the very beginning of the revolution, the young Charles was taken to Holland in the care of William of Orange. After the execution of his father, he became the leader of the royalists and for several years waged a stubborn war against the English Republic. So, in 1649, he led the disaffected in Ireland, and the next year he became the head of the Scottish rebels. Both of these wars were unsuccessful for Charles. On September 3, at the Battle of Donber, Cromwell defeated his army and occupied Edinburgh. In 1651 Charles suffered another crushing defeat at Worcester. Almost all of his companions were captured, and he himself was exposed to many dangers. Once, hiding from his pursuers, he spent the whole day in the dense branches of an oak. Finally, after many ordeals. Charles was able to board a ship and crossed to France. As long as Cromwell was alive, the Stuarts had no hope of returning to power. But after the death of the protector, when General Monk began to play a leading role in the army, they had hope. At the beginning of 1660, Monck occupied London with his army. Soon the members of the Long Parliament, expelled in December 1648 from its composition, were reintroduced into the House of Commons. Since then, the moderate party has had a majority and preponderance in all decisions. In March, she passed a law dissolving the Long Parliament and invalidating all its decisions adopted after 1648. Thus, the bill that abolished the monarchy and the House of Lords was canceled. In April, Monck entered into secret negotiations with Charles, who was then in Brussels, and announced that he was ready to obey royal orders. Meanwhile, in England, elections were held for a new parliament, in which the royalists had a predominant influence. In May, the House of Commons passed a law transferring power to Charles II. On May 25, Charles landed at Dover, where Monk met him, and four days later he solemnly entered the capital. On the same day, he approved the Magna Carta, the Petitions of Rights and the Statute on the right of Parliament to impose taxes. The king announced that he would grant forgiveness to all who, within the next forty days, declare their allegiance to the monarchy. However, the judges who sentenced Charles I to death were excluded from the general amnesty.

The new king was an ugly and unsympathetic man, but he had an intelligent and expressive face, possessed great personal charm and graceful manners. He was free from many religious prejudices inherent in his ancestors, had free and fairly broad views, was interested in natural science, mechanics and navigation. His main shortcoming was his inability to work diligently: he was always afraid of rough work and limited his participation in management only to charting a political course, and entrusting its development and implementation to others. Karl was not afraid of communicating with the people: he boldly appeared in crowded places, at city holidays, mixed with the crowd and easily talked with commoners. Every day he took part in merry drinking parties and outrages organized by his high society drinking companions, was constantly surrounded by frivolous women, jesters and inveterate wits, loved bold witticisms and well-aimed answers, he himself was an inexhaustible talker, knew the abyss of all kinds of anecdotes and loved to tell them very much.

The king was considered a great lover and connoisseur of beautiful women. His love affairs began at a very young age, and he had his first illegitimate child at the age of 16. Then he had a lot of such children. Cromwell's spies, who followed Charles in his wanderings around Europe, reported with pleasure about his novels. After the restoration, Charles returned to England, accompanied by his official mistress, Barbara Palmer. Not too jealous, he shared it with many of his friends. Karl recognized Barbara's four children as his own. For the others, he wasn't so sure. All the pretty women who appeared at the English court eventually became the mistresses of the king. It was considered absolutely incredible that a woman who liked Charles would dare to evade royal favor. The queen was not bad-looking, but, brought up in the monastic strictness of the rules, she did not know how to shine, she was shy, and therefore her husband openly neglected her. Since 1671, Louise Kerualle, a Frenchwoman by birth, who came to London in the retinue of Charles's sister Henriette of Orleans, became Charles's favorite. At the English court, she almost openly played the role of a diplomatic agent of the French king. To a large extent, the strengthening of the Anglo-French alliance must be attributed to her efforts. She had a huge influence on all affairs, and her apartments were more luxurious than those of the queen. In 1673, Louise received the title of Duchess of Portsmouth. The king granted his son by her the title of Duke of Richmond. Not limited to court ladies, the king had many affairs with women of the lower classes and especially with actresses. In England, where Puritan traditions were very strong, these scandalous adventures did not bring popularity to the king. Despite his debauchery, Charles was a good politician. He lacked neither personal courage nor a clear understanding of political interests. While the parliament of the moderate party was sitting, which invited the king. Charles adhered to a policy of religious tolerance. But, after the Anglican Episcopal Church won the election in 1661, an ecclesiastical reaction began. Every Member of Parliament was required to take communion in the Anglican rite if he did not want to lose his rank. Only he could be a pastor who was ordained a bishop. Under the Act of Conformity, issued in August 1662, two thousand Presbyterian pastors were expelled from their parishes. In subsequent years, the persecution of Presbyterians intensified. The royalists were given back their confiscated estates. The new censorship statute forbade the discussion of political issues. Soon all newspapers except the official ones were banned. The parliament elected in 1662 was so obedient to the king that he swore not to dissolve it as long as possible. The next elections were held only in 1679 and brought victory to the liberals. After that, the reaction mode softened considerably. Parliament abolished censorship and restored freedom of speech. A very important law "on individual freedom" was adopted, which protected citizens from arbitrary arrests. At the same time, the English parliamentary system finally took shape and two parties emerged - the Tories (unconditional supporters of the king and the Anglican Church, expressing the interests of the rural population and landowners) and the Whigs (they were in opposition to the king, recognized the importance of trade, the City of London, the development of navigation and preached religious tolerance). In 1681, Charles dissolved parliament and ruled alone until his death.

On February 11, 1685, the king suffered an apoplexy. When it became clear that his days were numbered, Brother James secretly brought a Catholic priest to a dying Catholic priest, to whom the king confessed his sins. Before his death, he, with his usual courtesy, asked for forgiveness from the courtiers for having tired them with his death agony.

All the monarchs of the world. Western Europe. Konstantin Ryzhov. Moscow, 1999.

Read further:

Literature on the history of Great Britain (lists).

The program of the course of studying the history of Great Britain (methodology).

Literature:

English bourgeois revolution of the 17th century, vol. 1-2, M., 1 954;

Ogg D., England in the reign of Charles II, v. 1-2, L., 1934.