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palatine

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Charles II
« on: September 25, 2005, 07:04:09 AM »
Charles II was a complex man, in large part thanks to his horrific upbringing.  He was present for the battle of Edgehill, aged 11 or 12.   He lived in a court/military camp during most of the English Civil War, and his education was badly neglected.

One can only imagine how Charles felt when his mother, Henrietta Maria, began charging him for his food while they were in exile in France.  Charles was so poor that he had to borrow a shirt from Lord Jermyn, one of his mother's courtiers.  Many believed that Jermyn and Henrietta Maria were lovers, and that they secretly married after the execution of Charles I.   Charles II was always financially generous to Jermyn once he was in a position to do something for him.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by palatine »
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Offline Prince_Lieven

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Re: Charles II
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2005, 07:17:12 AM »
Charles was, IMO, the most successful and urbane of the Stuarts. Most people thought that he had one aim above all others - self preservation. They were wrong - his aim was to maintain the Divine Right of Succession, to this end dissolving parliament when they tried to make his son Monmouth heir to the throne.
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"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
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ilyala

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Re: Charles II
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2005, 07:27:27 AM »
yes, but to his credit he also knew when to back down. he tried to give a declaration of toleration for all religions but the country was so against it that he changed his mind. had he been stubborn about divine right, he wouldn't have
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Offline Prince_Lieven

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Re: Charles II
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2005, 07:31:33 AM »
He was also extremely witty. Just check the royal quotes thread on the Windsor Board!

To his credit, although he had many, many mistresses, he refused to divorce Catherine and insisted that she be treated with every respect due to a queen. Perhaps Minette was the only woman he really loved.

I admire him for acknowleging all his bastards, and securing their futures - many kings simply shipped them off to a nunnery or a monastery.
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"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
-Sherlock Holmes

"Men forget, but never forgive; women forgive, but never forget."

ilyala

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Re: Charles II
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2005, 07:37:10 AM »
i think somewhere in his heart he cared about his wife and that's why he didn't divorce her... love might be a strong word, but care and respect i think he had.

i believe it was she that he called at his deathbed and not any of his mistresses...
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Offline Prince_Lieven

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Re: Charles II
« Reply #5 on: September 25, 2005, 07:40:08 AM »
Catherine was at his death bed, but she was so upset she had to leave. She sent back a message to Charles begging his forgiveness.

'Poor lady,' Charles said, 'She asks my forgiveness? I beg her for hers with all my heart. Send back that message.'
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"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
-Sherlock Holmes

"Men forget, but never forgive; women forgive, but never forget."

ilyala

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Re: Charles II
« Reply #6 on: September 25, 2005, 07:42:43 AM »
hum that leads me to think that she might have cared for him too ;)

edited to add: is catherine the one that visited her husband late at night and saw his mistress' feet under the courtain and decided to leave so the woman doesn't catch a cold? :P
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by ilyala »
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Offline Prince_Lieven

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Re: Charles II
« Reply #7 on: September 25, 2005, 07:44:38 AM »
I never heard that story!  :o

Nell Gwyn was his most likable mistress, IMHO - she was never given a title, but rumour says he was about to make her Countess of Greenwich but died before it could happen.
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"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
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ilyala

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Re: Charles II
« Reply #8 on: September 25, 2005, 07:52:07 AM »
i don't think she was too keen on having a title, imo...

her children did, though...
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Re: Charles II
« Reply #9 on: September 25, 2005, 07:58:30 AM »
Yes, her son was Duke of St Albans, but the title might be extinct now, I don't know.
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"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
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bell_the_cat

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Re: Charles II
« Reply #10 on: September 25, 2005, 08:43:07 AM »
The Duke is alive and well!
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Re: Charles II
« Reply #11 on: September 25, 2005, 08:52:46 AM »
Really? My mistake then! The Duke of Richmond and Lennox is a descendant of Charles II and Louise de Kerouaille, BTW - George III fell in love with Lady Sarah Lennox. Had he married her, he would have united the descendants of the Electress Sophia with the true Stuart line, thus killing Jacobitism forever!
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"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
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"Men forget, but never forgive; women forgive, but never forget."

bell_the_cat

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Re: Charles II
« Reply #12 on: September 25, 2005, 09:13:49 AM »
Or Prince William could marry that Sophie of Bavaria!
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Re: Charles II
« Reply #13 on: September 25, 2005, 09:18:29 AM »
She is already married to Prince Alois of Liechstenstein!  ;D And she is about 15 years older than him! But she has a daughter called Marie Caroline -problem is, she is 14 years younger than William!

;D
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"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
-Sherlock Holmes

"Men forget, but never forgive; women forgive, but never forget."

bell_the_cat

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Re: Charles II
« Reply #14 on: September 25, 2005, 09:21:39 AM »
Royals can divorce these days so it's all right. Bad luck for Alois, though!
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