Grace Thompson
King Charles II of England, Scotland, and Ireland was known for his adaptability and knowledge of people. His reign, from 1660 until his death in 1685, is known as the Restoration period. Charles is believed to have had Catholic sympathies, which influenced his desire for religious tolerance. He attempted to introduce religious freedom for Catholics and Protestant dissenters, but his efforts were thwarted by a hostile Parliament, which remained predominantly Protestant. Charles's Catholic sympathies caused conflict with Parliament and led to the rise of the Whig and Tory parties. On his deathbed, Charles converted to Catholicism, but the extent of his consciousness and commitment to this decision is debated.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| King of England, Scotland, and Ireland | Charles II |
| Year of birth | 29 May 1630 |
| Year of death | 6 February 1685 |
| Years of reign | 1660–1685 |
| Religion | Converted to Catholicism on his deathbed |
| Treaty of Dover | Charles secretly promised to convert to Catholicism at an unspecified future date |
| Royal Declaration of Indulgence | Introduced religious freedom for Catholics and Protestant dissenters |
| Test Act | Passed in 1673, requiring all government officials to swear an oath that they were Protestants |
| Public perception | The public blamed Catholic conspirators for the Great Fire of London in 1666 |
| War with Holland | England was defeated by the Dutch fleet in 1667 |
| Alliance with France | Charles agreed to convert to Catholicism in exchange for aid from Louis XIV of France |
| Efforts towards religious tolerance | Charles attempted to introduce religious freedom for Catholics but faced opposition from Parliament |
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What You'll Learn
Charles II's conversion to Catholicism
Charles II was born on 29 May 1630 and was the eldest surviving son of Charles I, the king of England, Scotland, and Ireland. His mother was Henrietta Maria, sister of Louis XIII of France. Charles was baptised in the Chapel Royal by William Laud, a future archbishop of Canterbury, and during his infancy was supervised by the Protestant Countess of Dorset. His maternal uncle Louis XIII and maternal grandmother, Marie de' Medici, the Dowager Queen of France, both of whom were Catholics, were his godparents.
Charles II was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685. On the last day of his life, Charles II converted to Catholicism on his deathbed, making him the last Catholic monarch who wasn't deposed. On 1 June 1670, Charles II signed the Secret Treaty of Dover with King Louis XIV of France. England agreed to send 60 warships and 4,000 soldiers to assist the French in their war against the Dutch, and in exchange, Charles would receive a yearly pension and 6,000 soldiers if there was ever a rebellion against him. The final stipulation was that Charles II converted to Catholicism, a term of the treaty he ended up upholding.
On 2 February 1685, Charles II awoke in poor health, having suffered a stroke in his sleep. A Benedictine monk named Father John Huddleston was smuggled into the king’s private chambers. Charles II's brother, the Duke of York and soon-to-be James II, announced to the king’s court that the king wished to be alone with only the Earls of Bath and Feversham. After the room was cleared, James II told Father Huddleston that the king wished to finally convert. The consecrated wafer stuck in the King’s throat, and that was why a glass of water was called for. Charles told Huddleston that he had saved his life twice, first his body, then his soul.
It is unclear whether Charles ever seriously intended to convert. While he favoured religious tolerance, he did not end the penal laws and martyrdom of priests and the faithful during his reign.
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Catholics persecuted as conspirators
Catholics have been persecuted as conspirators in England and other countries for centuries. In the context of Charles II, there were several instances where Catholics were blamed for various plots and conspiracies, which fueled anti-Catholic sentiments in the country.
The Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed thousands of houses and churches, including St Paul's Cathedral. The public blamed Catholic conspirators for the fire, which further exacerbated anti-Catholic sentiments in England.
The Popish Plot
In 1678, Titus Oates, an Anglican minister, fabricated a story about a Catholic plot to kill Charles II. He claimed that Charles was to be replaced by his Roman Catholic brother, James, and that Protestants would be massacred. This announcement made Catholics extremely unpopular, and eighty of them were arrested and accused of taking part in the plot. Several Catholics were executed before it was revealed that Oates had lied. This incident is known as the fictitious "Popish Plot".
Historical Context
England's history with anti-Catholicism is long and complex. After the Reformation, England became a majority-Protestant state, and Catholics often faced suspicion and discrimination. They were frequently suspected of conspiring against the state and working in the interests of the Pope. This led to religious discrimination and persecution, with similar sentiments occurring in other majority-Protestant countries such as Northern Ireland, Prussia, Germany, Scotland, and the United States.
Impact on Charles II
Charles II attempted to introduce religious freedom for Catholics and Protestant dissenters with his 1672 Royal Declaration of Indulgence. However, the English Parliament forced him to withdraw it. Charles's attempts to aid Catholics and his own potential conversion to Catholicism caused tension with Parliament, which remained largely Protestant.
Legacy
The persecution of Catholics as conspirators has had a lasting impact on Anglo-Catholic relations. The fictitious Popish Plot sparked the Exclusion Crisis and led to the birth of the pro-exclusion Whig and anti-exclusion Tory parties. Additionally, the public's blame of Catholics for the Great Fire of London demonstrates how deeply rooted anti-Catholic sentiments were in English society.
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Charles II's Catholic brother, James
James converted to Catholicism in 1669. Despite his conversion, he succeeded to the throne in 1685, following his brother's death. Charles II died on 6 February 1685, supposedly after converting to Catholicism on his deathbed. On the last evening of his life, he was received into the Catholic Church, although the extent of his consciousness and commitment is unclear.
James became King of England and Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII. He was the last Catholic monarch of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and his reign was marked by conflicts over religion. James was noted for his deep devotion to Catholicism and once remarked that he would be willing to die for his faith.
During Charles II's reign, there were concerns about James's Catholicism. In 1678, Titus Oates fabricated a "Popish Plot" to assassinate Charles II and falsely accused James of being involved. This sparked the Exclusion Crisis, as James was Charles's heir presumptive, and led to the formation of the pro-exclusion Whig and anti-exclusion Tory parties. Charles sided with the Tories and dissolved Parliament in 1679 to prevent the passing of an Exclusion Bill that would have excluded James from the line of succession.
Despite these tensions, Charles and James worked together during their lifetimes. They both directed the firefighting effort during the Great Fire of London in 1666 and, in 1677, Charles arranged for James's daughter Mary to marry the Protestant Prince William III of Orange. After the discovery of the Rye House Plot to murder both brothers in 1683, Charles invited James back onto the Privy Council in 1684.
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Catholic France's influence on Charles II
King Charles II of England, Scotland, and Ireland was born on 29 May 1630 to Charles I, king of England, Scotland and Ireland, and his wife Henrietta Maria, sister of Louis XIII of France. He was their second child, and his maternal uncle Louis XIII and maternal grandmother, Marie de' Medici, the Dowager Queen of France, both of whom were Catholics, were his godparents.
After the execution of his father, Charles I, at the climax of the English Civil War, Charles II fled to mainland Europe, spending the next nine years in exile in France. In 1665, England went to war with Holland, and by 1667, the Dutch fleet had defeated the English navy. Fearing an invasion by France, Charles II sent his sister Henrietta to negotiate an alliance with Louis XIV of France. Louis agreed to help Charles but demanded that he convert to Catholicism. Charles agreed to this demand but asked for time before making a public announcement.
In 1670, Charles II and Louis XIV signed the Treaty of Dover, with Louis agreeing to provide Charles with a yearly pension and additional military support if the English rebelled against him. In return, Charles promised to aid the French against the Dutch and to try to stop the English Protestants from persecuting Catholics. Charles attempted to introduce religious freedom for Catholics and Protestant dissenters with his 1672 Royal Declaration of Indulgence, but the English Parliament forced him to withdraw it.
In 1678, Titus Oates, an Anglican minister, falsely announced a Catholic plot to kill Charles II and replace him with his Roman Catholic brother, James. This made Catholics unpopular, and Charles waited until his deathbed before declaring himself a Roman Catholic. On the last evening of his life, he was received into the Catholic Church, and he was succeeded by his brother James II.
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Charles II's attempts at Catholic tolerance
King Charles II was convinced of the truth of the Catholic religion. He agreed to be reconciled with the Catholic Church when his kingdom's affairs permitted it. In 1665, England was involved in a war with Holland, which did not go well. The Dutch fleet defeated the English navy, and Charles II feared that a weakened England would be invaded by the French. He sent his sister Henrietta to talk to Louis XIV of France, and they agreed that England and France would become allies. However, Louis XIV demanded that Charles become a Catholic, to which Charles agreed but asked for time before announcing his decision to the English people.
In 1670, Charles II entered into the Treaty of Dover, an alliance with his cousin, King Louis XIV. Louis agreed to aid him in the Third Anglo-Dutch War and pay him a pension, and Charles secretly promised to convert to Catholicism at an unspecified future date. Charles attempted to introduce religious freedom for Catholics and Protestant dissenters with his 1672 Royal Declaration of Indulgence, but the English Parliament forced him to withdraw it.
In 1673, Parliament passed the Test Act, which required all government officials to swear an oath that they were Protestants. Several of the king's senior ministers were forced to resign. Charles feared that the English Protestants might try to overthrow him when they realised he had become a Catholic king. He tried to persuade Parliament to become more friendly towards the French government, even bribing certain members.
In 1679, Titus Oates fabricated a supposed Popish Plot, claiming that there was a Catholic plot to kill Charles II and replace him with his Roman Catholic brother, James. Oates argued that after James came to the throne, Protestants would be massacred in their thousands. This announcement made Catholics very unpopular, and many were imprisoned. It was also revealed that James, Duke of York, Charles's brother and heir presumptive, had become a Catholic, sparking the Exclusion Crisis. The crisis saw the birth of the pro-exclusion Whig and anti-exclusion Tory parties. Charles sided with the Tories, and after the discovery of the Rye House Plot to murder him and James in 1683, some Whig leaders were executed or forced into exile.
On his deathbed, Charles was received into the Catholic Church in the presence of Father John Huddleston, although the extent of his consciousness and commitment is unclear. He was buried in Westminster Abbey and succeeded by his brother James II and VII.
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Frequently asked questions
Charles II was not a Catholic for most of his reign. However, he did convert to Catholicism on his deathbed.
Yes, Charles II attempted to introduce religious freedom for Catholics and Protestant dissenters with his 1672 Royal Declaration of Indulgence, but the English Parliament forced him to withdraw it.
Charles II was noted for his desire for religious tolerance. He made several attempts to formalise the toleration of Catholics and Non-conformists but was thwarted by a hostile Parliament. However, it is unclear if Catholics were loyal to Charles II.
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