Commonwealth
As well as being recognised as the King of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Charles has also become the head of the Commonwealth, a group of 56 independent nations and 2.4 billion people. In 14 of these 52 nations, he will be King. These countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
King Charles I & II
King Charles III follows in the traditional of two previous Kings of that name. As Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor, he need not have adopted the title King Charles, and as far back as 2005 there was speculation that he might use another name, to avoid unfortunate associations with previous monarchs named Charles. Charles I was the only member of the monarchy to be tried and executed for treason, and his son, Charles II, who was known for his legendary love life, ruled during a particularly nasty bout of the Plague and the Great Fire of London. But all speculation was put to rest on the announcement of the accession to the Throne of King Charles III.
Charles I, born in 1600, ascended to the throne in 1625. His policies were relatively unpopular with his subjects and parliament. He levied taxes without having consent from parliament and his religious policies were viewed as too sensitive to Roman Catholicism. There was tension between his supporters and supporters of parliament which boiled over into an English Civil War. Charles I was eventually ousted in 1645 and convicted of high treason and executed in 1649.
Charles II is viewed as one of the country’s more charismatic rulers. Known as the “merry monarch”. He was initially declared King Charles II in Scotland as the English Parliament abolished the monarchy follow the death of his father. But 11 years later, Parliament invited Charles back onto the throne following the rule of puritan Oliver Cromwell. But relations were not smooth as he eventually dissolved Parliament, ruling the country without it for the last four years of his reign prior to his death in 1685.
SEE ALSO: Obituary: The Stalwart That Was Queen Elizabeth II
