Charles II: The Man and the Statesman

by Maurice Percy Ashley

biography of Charles II by Churchill's research asst. in the 1930s and a prominent historian in his own right.

358 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Maurice Percy Ashley, CBE, was a noted historian of the 17th Century and a former editor of The Listener.

Reviews

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read about "The Merry Monarch" among The Stuarts. The author did a good job at making interesting a story that starts out ready for the movies: overthrow of Charles I, exile of the son, Civil War, Cromwell and The Roundheads, glorious Restoration. Meanwhile, Charles II never seems to let up on chasing skirts, hence the "Merry" appellation I assume, and then the story drags in pointless, unimpressive wars for advantage, curious allying with the King of France and then a tedious series of various Parliaments summoned and prorogued and their fear of a Catholic monarch with ineffectual Exclusion acts and a monarch merry enough to demand Extreme Unction on his deathbed.

I have been known to run on too long in speech, so I was glad to see I have monarchial inclination as Scottish cleric Gilbert Burnet said of Charles I: "he talks too much and runs out too long and too far."