History of King Charles The Second of England

by Jacob Abbott

Biography of 'England's greatest King' from the 19th Century American writer of history and biographies for children.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, British Literature, War

168 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1849

About the author

Abbott was born at Hallowell, Maine to Jacob and Betsey Abbott. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1820; studied at Andover Theological Seminary in 1821, 1822, and 1824; was tutor in 1824-1825, and from 1825 to 1829 was professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Amherst College; was licensed to preach by the Hampshire Association in 1826; founded the Mount Vernon School for Young Ladies in Boston in 1829, and was principal of it in 1829-1833; was pastor of Eliot Congregational Church (which he founded), at Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1834-1835; and was, with his brothers, a founder, and in 1843-1851 a principal of Abbott's Institute, and in 1845-1848 of the Mount Vernon School for Boys, in New York City.

He was a prolific author, writing juvenile fiction, brief histories, biographies, religious books for the general reader, and a few works in popular science. He died in Farmington, Maine, where he had spent part of his time after 1839, and where his brother, Samuel Phillips Abbott, founded the Abbott School.

His Rollo Books, such as Rollo at Work, Rollo at Play, Rollo in Europe, etc., are the best known of his writings, having as their chief characters a representative boy and his associates. In them Abbott did for one or two generations of young American readers a service not unlike that performed earlier, in England and America, by the authors of Evenings at Home, The History of Sandford and Merton, and the The Parent's Assistant.
Fewacres in 1906, Abbott's residence at Farmington, Maine

His brothers, John S.C. Abbott and Gorham Dummer Abbott, were also authors. His sons, Benjamin Vaughan Abbott, Austin Abbott, both eminent lawyers, Lyman Abbott, and Edward Abbott, a clergyman, were also well-known authors.

Reviews

[Beachcomber · Rating 1 out of 5]

God this was dull. Sometimes patronising to the reader, other times staccato simple. Thankfully a free Kindle book.

[amandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would be interested in reading other books about Charles

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacob Abbott wrote a series of these books about the English monarchs. This is the first one I've read and it is a very nice story. It begins mainly with the strife of Charles I whose troubles affected his son in major ways. Charles I did not get along with parliament and there was a movement to become a republic rather than a monarchy that was becoming popular. The days of kings with absolute monarchy were ending and the idea that parliament was a much stronger institution. Charles I lost his head and Cromwell became the leader of the republic for several years. Cromwell's problem was that a republic was never truly created and England became ruled harshly by rich wealthy men in Parliament. Citizens who expected a vote and ability to self determination were very disappointed. Charles II was raised in France with his mother after they fled there and moved to Holland where his sister was married to the Duke of Orange then traveled to Scotland to accept his crown as their king. The culture of France and Scotland was so different, Charles II could barely stand it and after deciding to forego amassing an army in Scotland to conquer England, went there himself to gather troops. Some royalists joined but were far outnumbered. Unable to return to Scotland, Charles II had to flee to Wales where he was the prince for help. It worked, some royalists were able to re-crown him after he accepted some terms to avoid absolute rule. He made mistakes like marrying a Portuguese princess who hated it in England and forever begged to return home. They didn't have children but he was known for having many illegitimate children. Finally at death, the king and queen begged forgiveness of each other and Charles' brother, James became KIng.

[Ellis Knox · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a surprisingly interesting book. Charles had quite a few adventures as a young man. The history of his actual reign is less useful, as Abbott is mainly concerned to show Charles as a wastrel and a typical example of degenerate European aristocracy.