King Charles II (1630 - 1685)
Charles's coronation in 1661
April 23rd 1661: Charles II crowned
On this day in 1661, Charles II was crowned King of England, thus restoring the English monarchy. The son of Charles I, the future king watched as his father’s personal rule and usurpation of Parliament led England into civil war. Charles’s Royalist supporters were defeated in 1646, and the King himself was eventually captured. The Parliamentarians, including general Oliver Cromwell, put the King on trial for treason, which resulted in his execution in 1649 outside the Banqueting House in Whitehall. At the time of his father’s execution, the younger Charles was in exile in the Netherlands, and learned of the abolition of the monarchy and establishment of the short-lived Commonwealth of England. A leading figure of this republic was Oliver Cromwell, though his rule as Lord Protector became increasingly authoritarian. In 1650, Charles allied with the Scottish and battled Cromwell’s forces, though was defeated and forced to return to exile. The monarchy was eventually restored after a political crisis upon the death of Cromwell in 1658, and in 1660 Charles was invited to reclaim the throne. Having learned from the mistakes of his father, King Charles II pursued a more tolerant and co-operative relationship with Parliament. However, the King clashed with Parliament over his policy of religious tolerance of Catholics, and eventually dissolved the body in 1681. His court was also known for its hedonistic frivolity, frequently holding lavish parties; though this was generally welcomed by those weary of Cromwell’s Puritan rule. One of the events that defined Charles’s reign was the Great Fire of London in 1666, destroying a vast portion of the nation’s capital. Charles II died in February 1685, aged 54, and was succeeded by his brother who became King James II, as he left no legitimate heir.
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