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The Battle of Marston Moor 1644, by James Barker - Cheltenham Art Gallery and; Museums, Gloucestershire, UK

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In August 1642, tensions between Charles II and Parliament broke out into the English Civil War. This conflict arose from long-lasting disagreements about religion, and discontent over the king’s use of power and his economic policies. The war formally began when Charles I raised his standard at Nottingham, calling for support against Parliament. The country split into those who supported the king and those who supported Parliament. The war had a crucial role in determining England’s future, leading to a significant political change.

See the video in the next post —>

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Why Did England Have a Civil War? | History in a Nutshell | Animated History

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The Execution of King Charles I            by an unknown artist                                    © National Portrait Gallery, London

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Charged with treason, King Charles I is found guilty and beheaded outside the Banqueting House, Whitehall. His execution marked the end of the monarchy and led to the exile of Charles II, who sought to regain his father’s throne.

Charles I’s last words, minutes before the executioner's axe fell:

I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible crown; where no disturbance can be, no disturbance in the world.

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This document, written in iron gall ink on flat parchment, resulted in the execution of Charles I and the subsequent rule of Oliver Cromwell, who was one of the 59 signatories. Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the Death Warrant was used to identify and prosecute the commissioners who signed it for treason. Even the signatories who had died, including Cromwell, were dug up and hanged.

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King Charles II and Colonel William Carlos (Careless) in the Royal Oak        by Isaac Fuller                                             © National Portrait Gallery, London

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1651: Charles II escapes and hides at the Royal Oak

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1651: Charles II escapes and hides at the Royal Oak

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In September 1651, the last major battle of Civil War, the Battle of Worcester, took place. The Parliamentarian commander Olive Cromwell defeated the young king’s army. After his defeat, Charles II fled for his life with an award of a thousand pounds on his head. During this exile, the King and a companion hid in an oak tree.

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The only person to be head of state in Britain who was not a member of a royal family.                                                             Oliver Cromwell by Robert Walker          © National Portrait Gallery, London    

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1653: Oliver Cromwell makes himself Lord Protector

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1653: Oliver Cromwell makes himself Lord Protector

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Following the Parliamentary victory at the Battle of Worcester, The Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland was introduced. In December 1653, Oliver Cromwell was given the new title of Lord Protector by Parliament. He was now head of state, in place of monarchy, ruling over England, Scotland and Ireland.

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When Oliver Cromwell died, he was succeeded as Lord Protector by his son, Richard.

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Richard Cromwell  by Unknown artist     © National Portrait Gallery, London

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1659: Richard Cromwell resigns and Charles II is invited to return from exile

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1659: Richard Cromwell resigns and Charles II is invited to return from exile

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Richard lacked the political and military qualities of his father. He failed to get the support he needed and is forced to resign in May 1659 ending the Protectorate. Charles II, the son of Charles I, was invited to return from exile to claim the throne.

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The exiled king issued the Declaration of Breda, in which he made certain promises in return for his restoration to the English throne. This helped to ease the transition back to a monarchy and gain the support of Parliament.

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Charles sailed from his exile in the Netherlands to his restoration in England in May 1660                              by Lieve Verschuier www.rijksmuseum.nl

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Charles II entering London after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, undated hand-coloured print.

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May 1660: Restoration of England monarchy 

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May 1660: Restoration of England monarchy 

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Charles triumphantly returned to London on his 30th birthday. His return marked the official restoration of the monarchy. This event restored the Stuart dynasty and ended England's brief experiment with republicanism. Theatres were soon flourishing again, the Church of England was restored and all manner of entertainments flourished.

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November 1660: The Royal Society is found

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November 1660: The Royal Society is found

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Charles II was a significant supporter of both art and scientific pursuits. His support of the Royal Society, which aimed to explore science through experiment, was crucial to its success. Charles had a deep interest in scientific work, leading research and conducting experiments himself.

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A drawing of Oliver Cromwell's head on a spike from the late 18th century

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January 1661: The Posthumous Execution of Oliver Cromwell

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January 1661: The Posthumous Execution of Oliver Cromwell

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On 30 January 1661, Oliver Cromwell’s body, along with that of John Bradshaw and Henry Ireton were removed from Westminster Abbey to be posthumously tried for high treason and ‘executed’. This symbolic act occurred on the anniversary of King Charles I's execution. The three bodies were beheaded and buried in a common grave. Their heads were displayed on a spike at Westminster Hall until 1685, when a storm brought them down.

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Charles II is crowned king of England at Westminster Abbey.

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Charles II of England in Coronation robes.JPG

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This Horrible Histories video provides a fun look at the legend of the ravens and its significance during Charles II's reign

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'If the ravens leave the Tower, the kingdom will fall...'

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'If the ravens leave the Tower, the kingdom will fall...'

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A legend says that the kingdom will fall if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London. To prevent this, Charles II ordered that at least six ravens must always be kept at the Tower, a tradition that continues today.

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Horrible Histories Charles II' ravens in Tower of London

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An illustration showing a group of men filling a mass grave during the Great Plague of London, 1665-66                   (Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

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The Great Plague of London killed as many as 100,000 people, roughly 20 per cent of the city’s population. It was the worst outbreak of plague in England since the Black Death of 1348.

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The Great Fire of London, 1666                © London Museum

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September 1666: Great Fire of London destroys two-thirds of the city

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September 1666: Great Fire of London destroys two-thirds of the city

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The Great Fire of London began in a baker’s shop off Pudding Lane. Some 13,200 houses, as well as St Paul’s Cathedral, were destroyed. The financial costs were estimated at £10 million.

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June 1667: Dutch ships attack the English fleet in the Medway

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June 1667: Dutch ships attack the English fleet in the Medway

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And, the truth is, I do fear so much that the whole kingdom is undone.

These were the words of Samuel Pepys, taken from his diary entry on 12th June 1667, a stark reminder of the victorious Dutch attack launched on the unsuspecting Royal Navy. This attack became known as the Raid on Medway, a humiliating loss for England and one of the worst in the history of the navy.

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Portrait of King Louis XIV, by Charles Le Brun, c. 1655.

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Charles II signed the Treaty of Dover with France, forming an alliance with Louis XIV. This secret agreement committed Charles to convert to Catholicism at some point in the future in exchange for French financial and military support. Although he never openly converted, this caused tension with Parliament and suspicion about his loyalties.

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1672: Royal African Company is established to regulate the African slave trade

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1672: Royal African Company is established to regulate the African slave trade

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Charles II granted the Royal African Company a monopoly on the rapidly expanding slave trade.

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March 1673: Test Act excludes Catholics from public office

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March 1673: Test Act excludes Catholics from public office

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The Test Act required public office holders to accept communion in the Protestant form and swear an oath of allegiance recognising the monarch as the head of the Church of England. The intention of the act was to exclude Catholics and dissenters from public office.

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September 1678: 'Popish Plot' to murder Charles II is 'revealed'

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September 1678: 'Popish Plot' to murder Charles II is 'revealed'

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The Popish Plot was a period of extraordinary political tension that took hold in England in 1678. It was a crisis that revolved around a series of increasingly elaborate allegations against English Catholics, who were supposedly in league with the French, of a plot to murder King Charles II and replace him on the throne with his Catholic brother James, Duke of York.

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King Charles II by Robert Williams, published by John Smith, after Sir Godfrey Kneller, Btmezzotint, (1685)     © National Portrait Gallery, London

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February 1685: Charles II dies and James II accedes to the throne

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February 1685: Charles II dies and James II accedes to the throne

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Having suffered a stroke, Charles II converted to Catholicism on his death-bed and passed away a few hours later. His death marked the end of the Restoration era, paving the way for his brother, James II, whose reign would lead to further conflict and the Glorious Revolution of 1688, establishing a constitutional monarchy in England.