| First and foremost this book has been a labour of love. I have always beenfascinated by the character of King Charles II, sharing the view of QueenVictoria, who told Dean Stanley that, for all his moral failings, she regardedCharles II as one of the most attractive of her predecessors. I wanted todiscover for myself whether he merited this long-held sympathy. Romantic curiosity was the start. Curiosity of a different sort spurredme on when I was working on the life of Oliver Cromwell. What happenednext to the young gentleman , as Cromwell himself sometimes describedthe exiled Charles II ? The Restoration of ~ 660 is such a convenient starting-point for historical studies: it is sometimes forgotten that Charles Il wasalready thirty at the time of his return, with one whole dramatic existencebehind him. I have hoped in my biography to span both periods of hislife before and after I66O and show their relation to each other. Thirdly, as a historical work, this biography is in the nature of a re-assessment, based on the workings of many scholars in the field. Thereare surprisingly few biographies of any note of Charles II compared to somepopular figures; paradoxically, we have been extremely fortunate in ourhistorians of the period. Osmund Airy s life (I9OI) should still be mentionedand Sir Arthur Bryant s biography, concentrating on the reign itself (193 I,revised I955), is enduringly splendid. The most recent life, by Maurice Ash-ley (i972), is especially strong on the tortuous diplomacy of the period.Since that date there has been still more research made public - and suchvaluable additions to our knowledge will undoubtedly continue to flowforth. In making my reassessment I gratefully acknowledge my debtto all scholars of the period, past and present. Finality is impossible - |
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