House / Group: Stuart
Born / died: 1630-1685
Reign: 1660-1685
The eldest surviving son of Charles I and Henrietta Maria of France.
He married a Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza, but this event is largely irrelevant in his procreative career where he acknowledged 14 children from numerous mistresses: some of those children probably weren't his and many others probably were. For the record, we have:
by Lucy Walter, James and Mary
by Elizabeth Killigrew, Charlotte
by Catherine Pegge, Charles and Catherine
by Barbara Palmer, Anne, Charles, Henry, Charlotte, George and Barbara
by Eleanor "Nell" Gwynne, Charles and James
by Louise Renée de Penancoet da Kéroualle, Charles
by Mary 'Moll' Davis, Mary
There were other acknowledged mistresses with no acknowledged offspring. Queen Catherine failed to produce an heir, but suffered many miscarriages and stillbirths.
The history of his reign is similarly complicated. His father was deposed and eventually executed. Charles became king after the death of Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell and the abdication of his incompetent son, Richard. Charles was in almost continual turmoil with parliament throughout his reign.
He died of a stroke in London, a last-minute convert to catholicism, and is buried in Westminster Abbey.
Princess Di was descended from two of Charles' illegitimate sons, one of whom is a direct ancestor of Camilla Parker Bowles. It's a small world when you're royalty.
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