Charles II
The Duke of Marlborough Unleashed at the Battle of Ramillies
By Vince HawkinsThe War of Spanish Succession, fought between 1701 and 1711, witnessed the emergence of some of Europe’s greatest military commanders. Read more
Charles II
Louis XIV: the Sun King of France
By Brooke C. StoddardLouis XIV of France is remembered as the Sun King, the most resplendent figure of his age, the man who snatched dominance of Europe from the Spanish and built France into the preeminent power of the second half of the 17th century. Read more
Charles II
“Hurrah, Over You Go Again!”: The High Seas Battle of Portland
By Keith MiltonFor nearly a century, England and the Netherlands were longtime allies in the Eighty Years’ War against the Spanish Empire. Read more
Charles II
Decision at the Battle of the Dunes
By Roy Morris Jr.The cold North Sea surf washed over the boots of the advancing English infantry of Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army as they tromped through the drifting sand dunes across the beach at Dunkirk on the morning of June 14, 1658. Read more
Charles II
Thirst for Treasure: Privateer Navies of the New World
By Steven. M. JohnsonThe English soldiers stepped out of their pinnaces into the foaming surf on the island of Hispaniola. Read more
Charles II
Charles II’s Great Escape from the Battle of Worcester
By Roy Morris jr.Knowing that Puritan pursuers would be hot on his trail as soon as they realized he was not in Worcester, the king and his advisers stopped briefly at an inn in Ombersley (inevitably renamed the King’s Arms) to discuss their plans. Read more
Charles II
Worcester: Last Battle of the English Civil War
By Roy Morris jr.Charles Stuart liked to gamble. The 21-year-old son of slain English King Charles I was a fixture at the gaming tables and boudoirs of Europe, where he had spent the last half decade in restless exile while his father unsuccessfully sought to hold onto both his crown and his head. Read more
Charles II
Capturing the Rock: Gibraltar 1704
By Arnold BlumbergAs Spanish king Charles II lay dying in Madrid in the autumn of 1700, worried diplomats in other European capitals brooded day and night over who would succeed the childless monarch. Read more
Charles II
King Billy at the Boyne River
By Eric NiderostOn March 12, 1689, James II, recently deposed king of England, landed in Ireland in a last-ditch attempt to regain his throne. Read more
Charles II
The Four Days’ Battle: A Dutch Triumph
by Eric NiderostAdmiral General George Monck, first Duke of Albemarle, walked into the great cabin of his flagship Royal Charles with a calm and determined air, tersely greeting his assembled captains before they all sat down at a large table. Read more
