![[IMG_2297.jpeg]] - **Known as the "Merry Monarch"**: He was known as the "Merry Monarch" for his lively and hedonistic court, a stark contrast to the [[Puritanical]] rule under [[Oliver Cromwell]]. - **Escape and Disguise After Battle of Worcester**: After the defeat at the [[Battle of Worcester]] in [[1651]], Charles famously escaped capture by Parliamentarian forces by hiding in an oak tree and later disguising himself as a servant. - **King in Exile**: Charles spent many years in exile in Europe after the execution of his father, [[Charles I]], during the [[English Civil War]], before being restored to the throne in [[1660]]. - **Secret Treaty with France**: He signed the secret [[Treaty of Dover]] with [[Louis XIV]] of France in [[1670]], agreeing to convert to [[Catholicism]] in exchange for financial support from France, though he delayed his conversion until his deathbed. - **Numerous Affairs and Illegitimate Children**: Charles II was notorious for his numerous affairs. He fathered many illegitimate children with various mistresses, including the famous [[Nell Gwyn]], but had no legitimate heir. - **[[Great Plague]] and [[Great Fire of London]]**: His reign saw major events like the Great Plague (1665) and the Great Fire of London (1666). - **Royal Society Patronage**: He was a patron of the arts and sciences, notably granting a royal charter to the [[Royal Society]], an organisation that played a key role in the scientific revolution. - **Cavalier King Charles Spaniel**: A lover of dogs, the [[Cavalier King Charles Spaniel]] breed is named after him. - **Religious Tolerance Efforts**: Despite the religious turmoil of his time, Charles II promoted religious tolerance and issued the Royal [[Declaration of Indulgence]], though it was later withdrawn under parliamentary pressure. - **Unusual Deathbed Conversion**: On his [[deathbed]], he made a surprising conversion to [[Catholicism]], a move that had significant political implications in a largely [[Protestant]] England. #King #UK #Royalty