King Charles II
6 of 38 portraits by William Sherwin
© National Portrait Gallery, London
King Charles II
by William Sherwin, after Unknown artist
line engraving, circa 1670-1685
12 5/8 in. x 7 3/4 in. (320 mm x 196 mm) paper size
Reference Collection
NPG D32290
Sitterback to top
- King Charles II (1630-1685), Reigned 1660-85. Sitter associated with 295 portraits.
Artistsback to top
- William Sherwin (1645-1711). Artist or producer associated with 38 portraits.
- Unknown artist, Artist. Artist or producer associated with 6578 portraits.
Subjects & Themesback to top
Events of 1670back to top
Current affairs
Charles II mistress, Barbara Villiers, is created Duchess of Cleveland and granted Nonsuch Palace including its sizeable grounds.Actress and royal mistress, Nell Gwyn, gives birth to Charles II's son, Charles, who would later become, Duke of St. Albans.
Art and science
Tragicomedy, The Forc'd Marriage, by Aphra Behn, staged by the Duke's Company, starts Behn's career as a professional writer. The writer may have been a royalist spy towards the end of the interregnum.Poet laureate, John Dryden, is made historiographer royal, a post he would hold for nearly 20 years.
International
Terms of a secret treaty between Charles II and Louis XIV are brought by Henrietta, Duchess of Orleans during a visit to Dover; upon England supplying the majority of military power for a war against Holland and Charles's official conversion to Catholicism, France would assist financially.Comments back to top
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