Despite some political turmoil and upheaval linked to ongoing conflict in the clash between Protestantism and Catholicism, the rule of Charles II, who reigned from 1660-1685, was largely a happy time for the kingdom of England, Scotland and Ireland. This exhaustive account of the life and contributions of Charles II provides a probing look at the king, who was a much more complex figure than his moniker The Merry Monarch may suggest.