'Everybody's King': Charles II and the Representation of Restoration Rule in England, 1660-1679

At over six feet tall, with his swarthy complexion and black hair, King Charles II certainly appeared strikingly different to both his Father, and the Lord Protectors who had preceded him. Aside from this physical difference, Charles brought with him from exile a flamboyant, conspicuous and often innovative style of presenting the monarchy to the people. This thesis explores the public performance of Charles II's kingship before the Exclusion Crisis of 1679-1681. The emergence of party politics and the propaganda produced by both sides during this crisis has often dominated examinations of the public image of Charles II. However, as this thesis explores, during the 1660s and 1670s the King was already experimenting with innovative forms of royal representation. Utilising painted and printed images, public ceremonies, and sermons both printed and performed, Charles II set about 'rebranding' Stuart rule. By combining innovative aspects and traditional forms of monarchical representation, Charles was able to renegotiate his relationship with his people to suit his unique political circumstances. Not all of the King's forays into experimental representation were successful - but they reveal to us the painstaking process of a nation attempting to reconcile the ideas of regicide and restoration. By examining these first nineteen years of his reign, this thesis aims to advance our understanding of how a King who was characterised by his extreme pragmatism navigated the irrevocably changed political landscape of the post-civil war period.