Wife to Charles II

London England: Hutchinson of London, 1965. Hardback. First Edition. Wife to Charles II. Previous owners name to inside cover. Slight shelf wear to top edge of D/J. To manu the name Charles II may conjure up the vision of a gay and heedless sovereign who, intent upon pleasure, squandered immense sums upon his mistress. But this is the least important side to the character of the so-called Merry Monarch. Too much has been made of his wit and his light pleasures; too little of his wisdom and his compassion. The author traces his little-known relations with his wife Catherine of Braganza. She makes no attempt to minimize the pain which Charles caused the loving little Portuguese Princess by his infidelities, but she shows how. the the passage of time, Catherine came to realize that she had won something more valuable than transient passionate love - her husband's unswerving loyalty to her, the barren foreigner whom many of his people wanted him to put away. She gratefully accepted his deep affection and tust, happy in the knowledge that, if he sought pleasure with other women, it was to her that he came for understanding and comfort. Here, set against the events of a reign which witnessed more than its share of intrigue, violence and tragedy, is a fascinating and penetrating study of a strangely moving relationship. 351 pp. (We carry a wide selection of titles in The Arts, Theology, History, Politics, Social and Physical Sciences. academic and scholarly books and Modern First Editions, Reference books ,and all types of Academic Literature.). First Edition. Cloth. Very Good/Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" Tall Octavo. Hardback.