King Charles II

The oldest son of King Charles I was born at St. James´s Palace on 29 May 1630. When his father was forced to escape from the parliamental troops, Charles went with him. Later, he escaped to France and Holland, where he lived in exile after his father was beheaded. Declared King Charles II after his fathers death in 1649, he tried unsuccessful to get to England and the throne in 1650/51. By the end of the 1650s, the English people came to the conclusion that they had enough of their parliamental leaders (Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard), who ruled like monarchs themselves, and asked Charles to come back. The "declaration of Breda" was signed, which promised that the former supporters of the Parliament would´t be punished by the new King Charles II. He returned to London on his 30th birthday and was crowned on April 1661. Charles was known as the "Merry King", having lots of illegitimate children (13, according to one source) with his many mistresses but not one with his wife. Hours before he died after a stroke on 6 February 1685 at Whitehall, he converted to Catholicism.