Charles II, King of England

CARLO II, king of ENGLAND. - B. in London on 29 May 1630, d. there on 6 Feb. 1685. Son of Carlo I and Enrichetta Maria, C. succeeded his father to the throne after the Stuart restoration in 1661. In foreign policy C. inherited from Cromwell the anti-Spanish attitude which proved advantageous to Luigi XIV. More successful was his colonial policy, which increased English possessions especially in North America. The condition of Catholics during C.’s reign, although the king was personally well disposed toward them, did not improve, owing to the opposition of Parliament. C. himself was secretly a Catholic, and on several occasions opened negotiations with Rome to reconcile England with the Holy See; but he was also guilty of weakness in signing decrees against Catholic priests and death sentences for the victims of the fabricated Titus Oates conspiracy. On his deathbed C. converted to the Catholic faith.