Editing Charles II of England (section)

== Legacy ==
[[File:Charles II statue. Parliament Square Edinburgh.JPG|thumb|right|upright=0.8|Statue of Charles II as a Roman Caesar, erected 1685, [[Parliament Square, Edinburgh]]|alt=Lead equestrian statue]]

The escapades of Charles after his defeat at the [[Battle of Worcester]] remained important to him throughout his life. He delighted and bored listeners with tales of his escape for many years. Numerous accounts of his adventures were published, particularly in the immediate aftermath of the Restoration. Though not averse to his escape being ascribed to divine providence, Charles himself seems to have delighted most in his ability to sustain his disguise as a man of ordinary origins, and to move unrecognised through his realm. Ironic and cynical, Charles took pleasure in stories that demonstrated the undetectable nature of any inherent majesty he possessed.{{sfn|Weber|1988|pages=492–493, 505–506}}

Charles had no legitimate children, but acknowledged a dozen by seven mistresses,{{sfn|Fraser|1979|p=411}} including five by [[Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland|Barbara Villiers, Lady Castlemaine]], for whom the [[Dukedom of Cleveland]] was created. His other mistresses included [[Moll Davis]], [[Nell Gwyn]], [[Elizabeth Killigrew, Viscountess Shannon|Elizabeth Killigrew]], [[Catherine Pegge]], [[Lucy Walter]] and [[Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth]]. As a result, in his lifetime he was often nicknamed "[[Old Rowley]]", the name of his favourite racehorse, notable as a stallion.{{sfn|Pearson|1960|p=147}}

Charles's subjects resented paying taxes that were spent on his mistresses and their children,{{sfn|Hutton|1989|p=338}} many of whom received dukedoms or earldoms. The present [[Dukes of Buccleuch]], [[Duke of Richmond|Richmond]], [[Duke of Grafton|Grafton]] and [[Duke of St Albans|St Albans]] descend from Charles in unbroken male line.{{sfn|Fraser|1979|p=413}} Charles II is an ancestor of both [[King Charles III]]'s first wife, [[Diana, Princess of Wales]],{{efn|Diana was descended from two of Charles II's illegitimate sons: the [[Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton|Dukes of Grafton]] and [[Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond|Richmond]].}} and his second wife, [[Queen Camilla]]. Charles and Diana's son, [[William, Prince of Wales]], is likely to be the first British monarch descended from Charles II.

Charles's eldest son, the [[Duke of Monmouth]], led a rebellion against James II, but was defeated at the [[Battle of Sedgemoor]] on 6 July 1685, captured and executed. James was eventually dethroned in 1688, in the course of the [[Glorious Revolution]].

[[File:Rhc-charles2.jpg|thumb|upright|Statue of Charles II (c.&nbsp;1682) in ancient Roman dress by [[Grinling Gibbons]] at the [[Royal Hospital Chelsea]]|alt=Gilt statue]]

In the words of his contemporary [[John Evelyn]], "a prince of many virtues and many great imperfections, debonair, easy of access, not bloody or cruel".{{sfn|Miller|1991|pp=382–383}} [[John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester]], wrote more lewdly of Charles:

{{Poem quote|Restless he rolls from whore to whore
A merry monarch, scandalous and poor.{{sfn|Miller|1991|p=95}}}}

Looking back on Charles's reign, Tories tended to view it as a time of benevolent monarchy whereas Whigs perceived it as a terrible [[despotism]]. Professor [[Ronald Hutton]] summarises a polarised historiography:

{{Poem quote|For the past hundred years, books on Charles II have been sharply divided into two categories. Academic historians have concentrated mainly on his activities as a statesman and emphasised his duplicity, self-indulgence, poor judgement and lack of an aptitude for business or for stable and trustworthy government. Non-academic authors have concentrated mainly on his social and cultural world, emphasising his charm, affability, worldliness, tolerance, turning him into one of the most popular of all English monarchs in novels, plays and films.<ref>{{citation|first=Ronald |last=Hutton|title=A Gambling Man: Charles II and the Restoration|journal=History Today|date=December 2009|volume=59|issue=12|pages=55+}}</ref>}}

Hutton says Charles was a popular king in his own day and a "legendary figure" in British history.

{{Poem quote|Other kings had inspired more respect, but perhaps only Henry VIII had endeared himself to the popular imagination as much as this one. He was the playboy monarch, naughty but nice, the hero of all who prized urbanity, tolerance, good humour, and the pursuit of pleasure above the more earnest, sober, or material virtues.{{sfn|Hutton|1989|p=446}}}}

The anniversary of the [[English Restoration|Restoration]] (which was also Charles's birthday)—29 May—was recognised in England until the mid-nineteenth century as [[Oak Apple Day]], after the Royal Oak in which Charles hid during his escape from the forces of Oliver Cromwell. Traditional celebrations involved the wearing of oak leaves but these have now died out.{{sfn|Fraser|1979|p=118}} Charles II is [[Cultural depictions of Charles II of England|depicted extensively in art, literature and media]]. [[Charleston, South Carolina]], and [[South Kingstown, Rhode Island]], are named after him. King Charles's Island and Charles Island are previous names of both [[Floreana Island]] and [[Española Island]] in the [[Galapagos Archipelago]], both in his honour.