Charles II of England - the so-called "Merry Monarch" - had a legendary love life. His mistresses were visible, integral members of his court. Stories of their affairs with the king, and their rivalries with each other, have echoed through the centuries. Born in 1630, Charles spent much of his young adulthood in exile. His father, Charles I, was ousted from the throne and executed in 1649. While a Puritanical regime ruled over England, Charles bided his time on the continent. In 1661, England's Parliament invited Charles to come home and become king - this "Restoration" of the monarchy ushered in a new phase in English history. Charles had some accomplishments during his 25 years on the throne. He was a patron of the arts and sciences, opening theaters in London and sponsoring the Royal Society for scientific study. But Charles is best remembered for a love life that was even crazier than Henry VIII's. While, like Charles, Henry had several mistresses, it was his multiple marriages that brought him infamy. Henry ended his marriages as quickly as he rushed into them; he was as likely to divorce a wife as execute one. Much of Henry's bedroom politics increasingly focused on his desire to produce a male heir, though his poor health slowed him down in his later years. If Henry VIII's love life was deadly, Charles II's was bawdy. He never let marriage get in the way of a good affair. A prolific adulterer, Charles freely engaged in colorful, public liaisons with a string of women. These mistresses came from all kinds of backgrounds and were well-known by courtiers and commoners alike. They were often at the center of court politics and managed intrigues of their own.
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