Charles II of England and Scotland

Collection of letters detailing hospital related matters. One letter and the deed fragment are not autographed by Charles II: The deed fragment is for the endowment of Chelsea Hospital by "Nell Gwyne" signed by Lord Halifax 1631 (8650/1); one autograph letter addressed to Sir Edward Walker authorising the payment of 450 livres to the apothecary John Chace, given at a court in Jersey 25th December 1649 (8650/2). Autograph letters signed Charles R: letter addressed to Earl of Arran, Lord Lieutenent of Ireland and relates to the affairs of Sir Edward Ormsby who was suffering from mental disease, signed 2nd October 1683 (8650/3); letter addressed to James Duke of Ormand and Richard Earle of Arran again, also signed by L. Jenkins, dated 8th January 1683 concerning the building of a hospital at Killmainham, Ireland (8650/4); letter addressed to Richard Earle of Arran and signed also by Lord Sunderland about Christ's Hospital, dated 27 May 1884 (8650/5); letter relating to Christ's Hospital signed L. Jenkins, Hammersmith, 9th June 1684 (8650/6).

(In totatl 6 documents: 5 letters, 4 of which are autographed by Charles II, and the surviving part of a deed).

c.1631-c.1684

1 file

Purchased from: Stevens, London, July 1930 (acc.56543) and September 1930 (acc.73140); and from Glendining, London, August 1935 (possibly an error for 1934) (acc.67878) . Acquisitions details for acc.15210 and 56452 not known.

Charles II (1630-1685) King of England, Scotland and Ireland who reigned intermittently during the English Civil War. His father, Charles I, was executed in 1649 and subsequently in 1650 Charles made an alliance with the Scots and invaded England with a Scottish army. He was defeated at the Battle of Worcester in 1651, not until 1660 was Charles invited to reclaim the English throne. He continued to pursue policies of political and more controversially, religious tolerance. In 1662 Charles married the Portuguese Infanta, Catherineof Braganza, a match that was backed by France. In 1670 Charles signed a secret treaty, the Treaty of Dover, with Louis XIV of France in an attempt to convert to Catholicism and support the French in the third Anglo-Dutch War. In return Charles had hoped that he would recieve subsidies which would empower him against Parliament. Knowledge of the treaty and Charles' efforts to become sole ruler led to further conflict with Parliament, which in 1681 was dissolved. He ruled alone until his death, with no legitimate heir to be succeeded by his brother James.

During his rein Charles witnessed the establishment of the Royal Society, the Great Plague (1665), the Great Fire of London (1666) and the rise of colonisation and naval power. In spite of this, Charles' allignment with France and Catholicism made him an unpopular monarch.

Online Archives and Manuscripts catalogue.