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Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was the King of England, King
of Scots, and King of Ireland from 30 January 1649 (de jure) or 29 May
1660 (de facto) until his death. His father Charles I had been executed
in 1649, following the English Civil War; the monarchy was then abolished
and England, and subsequently Scotland and Ireland became a united republic
under Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector , albeit with Scotland and Ireland
under military occupation
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and de facto martial law. In 1660, shortly after Cromwell's death, the
monarchy was restored under Charles II. He was popularly known as the
'Merry Monarch', in reference to the liveliness and hedonism of his court.
The exact date at which Charles became King is vague due to the uncertain
political situation of the time. His father was executed on 30 January
1649, making him in theory King Charles II from that moment. He was immediately
proclaimed King in Scotland on 5 February and Jersey on 16 February 1649--but
also recognised in a few British colonies (especially the Colony and Dominion
of Virginia). In Scotland Charles was for some time king in title only.
It took two years of negotiation with the Presbyterians before he was
finally crowned King of Scots in Scone on 1 January 1651. However, his
reign there was short lived as he was soon driven out by the republican
armies, led by Oliver Cromwell. His coronation in England would not be
until after Cromwell's death and the monarchy's restoration in May 1660,
spending most of the intervening time exiled in France.
Much like his father, Charles II struggled for most of his life in his
relations with parliament, although the tensions between the two never
reached the same levels of hostility. He was only able to achieve true
success towards the end of his reign, by dispensing with parliament and
ruling alone. Unlike his father however, this did not lead to widespread
popular opposition, as he avoided the imposition of any new taxes, thanks
in part to money he received as a result of his close relationship with
the French king, Louis XIV. The principle conflicts of his reign revolved
around a number of interlinked issues, many of them related to the conflict
between Protestants and Catholics then raging across Europe.As a consequence
of this, Charles' reign was racked by political factions and intrigue,
and it was at this time that the Whig and Tory political parties first
developed. He famously fathered numerous illegitimate children, of whom
he acknowledged fourteen; but no legitimate children that lived. Charles
was also a patron of the arts, and was largely responsible for the revival
of public drama and music, after their virtual prohibition under the earlier
Protectorate. Some historians, such as Maurice Ashley, believe that Charles
was secretly a Roman Catholic for much of his life like his brother James
while others, such as Antonia Fraser, disagree. All that is known for
certain is that he converted to Roman Catholicism on his deathbed.
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