Charles II's Court

Why was Charles II known as the 'Merry Monarch'?

• A. He passed laws giving the people more freedom and reducing taxation
• B. He loved pleasure — parties, gambling, horse racing, and had many mistresses
• C. He was always cheerful in Parliament and never lost his temper in debates
• D. He restored merry traditions like Christmas that the Puritans had banned

Why was Nell Gwyn particularly popular with ordinary Londoners compared to Charles II's other mistresses?

• A. She was a noblewoman who gave generously to the poor of London
• B. She was a foreign princess who helped negotiate peace treaties
• C. She was English and Protestant, unlike Charles's French Catholic mistress Louise de Kerouaille
• D. She stayed out of politics and never interfered in government affairs