![]() The city was brought almost to a standstill by this terrible epidemic disease. Ultimately it took the lives of nearly one in four of the half-million inhabitants of London. Charles’s own estimate of his experience with women is best summed up in his answer to the man who asked him how many women he had Charles mischievously answered thirty-nine, explaining that the number of the articles of the Anglican faith was a good enough total for the head of the Church of England.Įngland and the Stuarts were severely tested in 1665/6 when bubonic plague struck, arriving through London and other seaports. But Charles might have embraced Louis for the money he gave him, regardless of Louise’s influence. Louise de Keroualle was an agent of Louis XIV of France and Charles did become a client of Louis. His four favourite mistresses, Lucy Walter, Barbara Villiers, Nell Gwynne and Louise de Keroualle, were quite different in background, and whether or not they exerted important political influence on Charles is open to question. He regarded his dalliances as recreation, not politics. She reached an understanding with him, tacit or otherwise is not known, so that she remained queen and enjoyed his affection, protection and respect, while he was free to graze in pastures other than hers.Ĭharles II’s lifelong fascination with women has been titillating and of interest to many over the years, but it is distracting as far as understanding him as a ruler of England is concerned. To her great credit, she put a brave face on her personal anguish and discomfort in a situation she could not remedy. The marriage began well but soon Catherine was in the difficult position of having to share Charles with his mistresses. Charles described her in a letter to Clarendon as not exactly a beauty but he liked her eyes and thought her, on the whole, acceptable as a wife. They shared the throne of England as king and queen and, ultimately, they also shared her Roman Catholic faith.Īlthough Catherine was short and had protruding teeth, she also had quite beautiful long black hair and a pleasant voice and demeanour. They were married in a Catholic ceremony at Portsmouth and later were married again at a grand ceremony in London in May 1662. As it happened Catherine had a cold and slight fever when Charles arrived and she was not up to much more than merely greeting Charles at their first meeting. He even implied to Clarendon that he might not be able to consummate the marriage immediately as he would be tired after the long journey from London to Portsmouth, where he was to meet his bride and her entourage. Notes which passed during Privy Council meetings between Charles and his chancellor, Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, illustrate Charles’s somewhat disinterested acceptance of this match. Spain did not favour the match and the Spanish ambassador spread rumours that Catherine would be a sterile queen, hoping that Charles would look further north in Europe for a suitable wife. At twenty-one Catherine was neither young nor pretty and apparently was not considered an important candidate for marriage in other European courts. Her dowry included Tangier, Bombay, full trading privileges for England in the Indies and a very large sum of money for the impoverished Charles. If ever a marriage was made for political and economic reasons, the union of Charles and Catherine was such a match. Catherine was born at Vila Vicosa near Lisbon on 25 November 1638, the third child of the Duke of Braganza who later became King John IV of Portugal. ![]() In spite of being relatively poor, Charles easily assumed the role of King of England and he left it to his new government to work through the intricacies of choosing a wife who would bring the greatest political and economic benefit to him and to England.Ĭontrary to endless rumours that he was married to Lucy Walter in his teens, Charles was, in fact, married only once, and that was to a Portuguese princess eight years his junior, Catherine of Braganza. Catherine brought a dowry of £500,000, as well as Bombay, Tangier and the right of free trade with the Portuguese colonies, and also popularised tea-drinking in Britain. On 23 June 1661 a marriage treaty agreeing upon the union of Charles II and Catherine of Braganza was signed.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |