Legacy Charles II of England

statue of charles ii roman caesar, erected 1685, parliament square, edinburgh

biographer ronald hutton says charles popular king in own day , legendary figure in british history.

other kings had inspired more respect, perhaps henry viii had endeared himself popular imagination as one. playboy monarch, naughty nice, hero of prized urbanity, tolerance, humour, , pursuit of pleasure above more earnest, sober, or material virtues.

biographer hilaire belloc states:

charles universally beloved, beloved not crowd of individuals whom came in contact, not adored dependents, thoroughly popular mass of subjects , particularly poorer populace of london knew him best.

charles had no legitimate children, acknowledged dozen 7 mistresses, including 5 barbara villiers, lady castlemaine, whom dukedom of cleveland created. other mistresses included moll davis, nell gwyn, elizabeth killigrew, catherine pegge, lucy walter , louise de kérouaille, duchess of portsmouth. result, in lifetime nicknamed old rowley , name of 1 of horses notable stallion.

his subjects resented paying taxes spent on mistresses , children, many of whom received dukedoms or earldoms. present dukes of buccleuch, richmond, grafton , st albans descend charles in unbroken male line. diana, princess of wales, descended 2 of charles s illegitimate sons: dukes of grafton , richmond. diana s son, prince william, duke of cambridge, second in line british throne, first british monarch descended charles ii.

charles s eldest son, duke of monmouth, led rebellion against james ii, defeated @ battle of sedgemoor on 6 july 1685, captured , executed. james dethroned in 1688, in course of glorious revolution.

statue of charles ii (c. 1682) in ancient roman dress grinling gibbons @ royal hospital chelsea

looking on charles s reign, tories tended view time of benevolent monarchy whereas whigs perceived terrible despotism. today possible assess him without taint of partisanship, , seen more of lovable rogue—in words of contemporary john evelyn, prince of many virtues , many great imperfections, debonair, easy of access, not bloody or cruel . john wilmot, 2nd earl of rochester, wrote more lewdly of charles:

charles, patron of arts , sciences, founded royal observatory , supported royal society, scientific group members included robert hooke, robert boyle , sir isaac newton. personal patron of sir christopher wren, architect helped rebuild london after great fire , constructed royal hospital chelsea, charles founded home retired soldiers in 1682.

the anniversary of restoration (which charles s birthday)—29 may—was recognised in england until mid-nineteenth century oak apple day, after royal oak in charles hid during escape forces of oliver cromwell. traditional celebrations involved wearing of oak leaves these have died out. charles ii commemorated statues in london s soho square, in edinburgh s parliament square, in st mary s square in gloucester, , near south portal of lichfield cathedral, , depicted extensively in literature , other media. charleston, south carolina, , south kingstown, rhode island, named after him.