Restoration England - Charles II's Court

Question 1

how was marriage a factor in Charles II’s nickname as the ‘merry monarch’?

Answer 1

• in 1662, Charles married Catherine of Braganza, a Portuguese princess
• Charles had affairs with many women - Catherine knew about these but remained faithful
• Charles insisted that his wife was treated with respect and refused calls to divorce her and marry a Protestant who might produce an heir

Question 2

how were sports, arts and sciences a factor in Charles II’s nickname as the ‘merry monarch’?

Answer 2

• he founded the Royal Observatory and was a major supporter of the Royal Society
• he took an interest in theatre and architecture, acting as a patron to the famous architect Christopher Wren
• In 1682, he founded the Royal Hospital Chelsea, a home for retired soldiers
• Charles also greatly enjoyed horse racing and spent a lot of time at the races

Question 3

how were parties a factor in Charles II’s nickname as the ‘merry monarch’?

Answer 3

• Charles became famous for his parties and banquets
• meals would usually begin mid-afternoon and often involved hundreds of dishes
• elaborate table decorations occasionally included a centrepiece of a fountain flowing with wine
• the parties and banquets were intended to establish Charles as the centre of attention and show off his and the country’s wealth

Question 4

how was publicity a factor in Charles II’s nickname as the ‘merry monarch’?

Answer 4

• people wanted to see Charles and he dedicated a lot of time to public appearances. These were carefully managed to maintain his image as dignified and royal but also relaxed and informal
• his court seemed much less formal than any that had existed before but behind this was a very well thought-out public image

Question 5

how were his mistresses a factor in Charles II’s nickname as the ‘merry monarch’?

Answer 5

• Charles fathered at least 20 children wth his many mistresses. Far from hiding them, he acknowledged them, giving them titles and government roles.
• some of the mistresses became high profile figures. These included the actress Nell Gwynn and Louise de Keroualle, a French woman who is thought to have encouraged Charles’s decision to become officially Catholic on his deathbed

Question 6

what was the royal court of King Charles?

Answer 6

• it was where Charles and his Privy Council governed the country, as well as where Charles entertained foreign royals and their ambassadors and where he held parties and banquets

Question 7

who had the power in the royal court?

Answer 7

• the king was the centre of power but other offices and groups had significant influence over the king and his decisions
• Chief ministers under Charles usually held the position of Lord Chancellor or Lord Treasurer
• it is important to remember that the king was not an absolute monarch; he had the answer to Parliament, which controlled the country’s money

Question 8

what was the impact of the French court?

Answer 8

• in many ways, Charles based his court on that of his cousin, King Louis of France
• the official positions like lord Chancellor and the Privy Council had been present in England for many years but the style of government and the way the court worked had much more in common with the French court than previous English ones.
• The problem for Charles was that, unlike the Louis, he was not an absolute monarch; he could not just do as he pleased

Question 9

what was the role of the privy council?

Answer 9

• they were the key advisors to the king
• “privy” meant “private”, as these men were usually trusted with all sorts of private matters
• the Council was made up of men who held other positions in government or parliament
• during Charles’s reign there were an average of 60 members. They advised the king but could not force him to do anything. However, Charles was unlikely to go against their advice

Question 10

what was the role of the Lord Treasurer?

Answer 10

• responsible for the kingdom’s finances
• another senior role, held very briefly by Clarendon, by Lord Clifford in the Cabal Ministry and by Lord Danby during his ministry

Question 11

what was the role of the king?

Answer 11

• had the final say on all matters and appointed his ministers.
• Charles was not completely free to do as he chose, however
• he had to keep his opponents happy and avoid conflict with parliament

Question 12

what was the role of Lord Chancellor?

Answer 12

• the chief legal officer of the country and therefore a very senior post in government
• Lord Clarendon held this position for the first part of Charles’s reign, followed by lord Ashley during the Cabal Ministry

Question 13

what was the role of the Exchequer?

Answer 13

• collected money owed to the king
• at times there was a head of the Exchequer, for the most part of the king’s finances were run by a committee