Charles II (Ist January 1651)

After Cromwell's victory at Worcester (1651) Charles fled first to France and later to Netherlands .He was recalled to the throne by parliament in 1660 at the instigation of General Monck ,with powers scarcely less than those of his father and a determination not to "go on his travels again" he presided over an extravagant court,and supported revival of the theatre (banned during the Commonwealth)and the founding of the Royal Society (1660) His reign was marked by disasters such as The Great Plague (1665) and the fire of London (1666),in which Charles helped fight the flames .In renewed conflict with the Dutch ,part of the British fleet was destroyed when the Dutch sailed unchallenged up the Medway (1672)