The son of Charles I, he spent many years in exile before being invited by Parliament to return to the English throne. Prior to coming to England Charles sent a message to Parliament, called the ‘Declaration of Breda’, indicating among other things that he was willing to support any law in favour of liberty of conscience. He also made it clear that in a conflict of interests he would not challenge the will of Parliament. Therefore it seems obvious that, though he hoped existing laws restricting freedom of worship would not be enforced or new laws passed, he was not in a position to exercise very much influence.
In the early years of Charles II’s reign Parliament feared that the very large numbers of Nonconformists and former soldiers from Cromwell’s army now in England might once again pose a threat of Civil War. Consequently, a number of very harsh laws were passed against Nonconformists or ‘Dissenters’. By 1669 the king had made it known to some of his intimates that he was a Roman Catholic, and in 1672 he attempted to pass a ‘Declaration of Indulgence’. This would have suspended enforcement of religious laws, but once again his good intentions were overridden. When Titus Oates revealed his so-called Popish Plot it seemed that indeed there was danger of an uprising. But after this was exposed, public feeling ran against those who persecuted the Catholics, and Charles’s popularity increased.
Charles II was, in fact, a popular monarch for most of his reign. He was handsome, witty and full of charm, and became known as the ‘Merry Monarch’. Morally he was a rake and profligate (which probably added to his charm in the popular mind); two of his paramours, Nell Gwynne and Louise de Keroualle, the Duchess of Portsmouth, were known to all the world. Even on his deathbed his wit never failed him; he asked pardon for taking such a very long time to die. At the last he made confession to a Catholic priest and received the final rites of the Catholic church.