Charles II 1630 - 1685

1646 - following the defeat and surrender of his father, Charles I, he escaped to France. 1648 - in response to Scottish requests to invade England, and in preparation, he moved to The Hague. This was thwarted over religious differences and the rebellion put down by Cromwell. 1649 - following the death of Charles I, Scottish leaders travelled to The Hague to meet with the Prince of Wales regarding Scottish rule. 1650 - landed at Garmouth in Scotland. 1651 - suffered defeat at the hand of Cromwell's Commonwealth forces at Worcester and escaped to Normandy, France. 1654 - partly in anticipation of an Anglo-French alliance, he left Paris and moved to Germany. 1656 - held talks in Brussels with King Philip IV's viceroy, where it was agreed that an offensive and defensive alliance in which Charles promised to restore Jamaica, help to recover Portugal, suspend laws against Catholics, and implement Ormond's 1649 treaty with the Irish, would give him 6000 troops for the invasion of England. 1660 - sailed for England and entered London in triumph. 1666 - the Great Fire of London allowed him the chance to display his personal courage in supervising the rescue efforts. 1668 - the Dutch fleet destroyed a major part of the English navy laid up in the Medway. 1671 - asked for and received £800,000 ostensibly to fit out the navy against the threat from France's military build-up. 1673 - the fleet was fitted out for the summer's campaigns against the Dutch. 1675 - although parliament attacked his extravagances and continual requests for funds, the Commons agreed to provide £300,000 for strengthening the navy. 1685 - fell unexpectedly, and seriously, ill, the suddenness of which helped to fuel rumours that he had been poisoned.