Today in 1660: King Charles II restored

FACT OF THE DAY from The Scotsman:


King Charles II is restored to the English throne today in 1660. He had previously been crowned King of Scotland on 1 January 1651 and had attempted to reunite the kingdoms by attacking Cromwellian forces in England. This led to a resounding defeat at the Battle of Worcester where, according to legend, he hid in the 'Royal Oak' until the coast was clear. Upon restoration, Charles acknowledged his thanks to his Scottish soldiers by making The Royal Scots the first regular regiment of the modern British Army.

To read more about Scotland's past visit heritage.scotsman.com while pondering Great Britain's current separation anxieties as history repeats.

Looking at the natal chart of Charles II (June 8, 1630 NS) we see that his resoration to the throne occurred at his Saturn Return, age 30.

After his father, Charles I's beheading (Jan 30, 1649), Charles II spent nine years in exile and when the English people had had their craw full of Cromwell's "protectorate" (he died in 1658) they invited Charlie back to the throne.

(Apparently the political tradition of naming things the opposite of what they are or do is as olde as yon hills...the olde 'lipsticke on a pig' ploy.)

Charles II's rule is considered the most licentious of the British monarchy yet he presided over major events as well: two wars with the Dutch, the Plague, the Great Fire of London, and the passage of the Habeas Corpus Act, among others. A busy yet naughty boy who produced no legitimate heirs.

Charles died of Bright's disease in 1685, age 54, a hedonist monarch whose n Sun's symbol in Adriano Carelli's The 360 Degrees of the Zodiac applies quite well:

"9Gem": "An enthroned queen holding in one hand the Earth's gold surmounted by the cross; in the other, her scepter"...fond of riddles and chess, and a ruler born.