Person    | Male  Born 29/5/1630  Died 6/2/1685

King Charles II

Reigned: 1660 - 1685. Born at St James's Palace. The son of the beheaded Charles I, he was the king "restored" to the throne after the civil war.

Married Catherine of Braganza in 1662 but she produced no children that survived. Meanwhile, with his many mistresses, including Nell Gwynne and Louise De Keroualle, Charles sired at least 13 illegitimate children. Died Whitehall Palace. Succeeded by his brother James II.

He was a founder member of a company, the Royal African Company, set up for trade with Africa which quickly moved into the slave trade. He invested in the company and bought at least one slave himself.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
King Charles II

Commemorated ati

Anchor Iron Wharf - history

{On the base of the monument:} Anchor Iron Wharf In 964 King Edgar granted th...

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Charles II - Sloane Square

{Running around the urn near the top:} Sweet Thames run softly till I end my ...

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Charles II statue - Soho Square

Erected in the King's lifetime - see Fenner Brockway for our list of other su...

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Charles II trampling Cromwell

Though the statue still exists we label it as 'lost' because it is lost to Lo...

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Show all 18

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
King Charles II

Creations i

The Monument - east and south

{East face - Latin inscription with a bronze plaque below:} Translation of th...

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Other Subjects

East India Company

East India Company

Formed as a trading company but went on to effectively rule India, on behalf of the British. Was involved in the slave trade.

Group, Commerce, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Indian Sub-continent

5 memorials
Tobias Rustat

Tobias Rustat

Courtier to King Charles II and a benefactor of the University of Cambridge. He was an investor in, and Assistant (what we'd call Director) of, the Royal African Company, an English mercantile comp...

Person, Benefactor, Race Issues

2 memorials
Mary Seacole Trust

Mary Seacole Trust

From the Trust's website: "We want British society to become fairer, more inclusive and more harmonious. We believe that overcoming exclusion and increasing participation by promoting equality of b...

Group, Gender Issues, History, Medicine, Race Issues

1 memorial
Bank of England

Bank of England

Londonist have an interesting post about animals at the Bank of England. The Guardian, 16 April 2022, reporting on an exhibition at the Bank of England, informed that the Bank once owned 599 slave...

Group, Commerce, Politics & Administration, Race Issues

1 memorial
Lord Holland, Henry Richard Vassall-Fox, 3rd Baron Holland

Lord Holland, Henry Richard Vassall-Fox, 3rd Baron Holland

Whig politician. Grandson of the first Baron, and nephew of Charles James Fox. Born Wiltshire and orphaned by the age of 5. Owned 401 slaves. Express Informer provides "‘By the unexpected death of...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues

1 memorial