The Restoration
In Our Time
BBC
4.6 • 9.9K Ratings
🗓️ 15 February 2001
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Restoration. On 29th May 1660, on his thirtieth birthday, Charles II rode into London on horseback and was restored to the thrones of England and Wales, of Scotland and of Ireland. A ‘golden age’ descended on a people that had been ravaged by civil war, religious division, Cromwellian tyranny and puritanical laws: suddenly the theatres were re-opened, Christmas was celebrated once again, all Orange-sellers were beautiful and peace and prosperity reigned across the land. Or at least that’s one version of the Restoration story. But despite the architecture of Wren, the literature of Dryden, and the philosophy of Hobbes, can an era that is suffused in Plague and in Fire, and culminates in something called The Glorious Revolution, ever really have had it so good?With Dr Mark Goldie, lecturer in History, Churchill College, University of Cambridge; Richard Ollard author of The Image of the King: Charles I and Charles II; Dr Clare Jackson, lecturer and Director of Studies in History, Trinity Hall, Cambridge.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Thanks for downloading the Inartime podcast. For more details about Inartime and for our terms of use |
| 0:05.4 | Please go to bbc.co.uk forward slash radio for I hope you enjoy the program |
| 0:11.9 | Hello on the 29th of May 1660 on his 30th birthday Charles the Second rode into London and was restored to the thrones of England and Wales of Scotland and Ireland |
| 0:21.9 | It was claimed that a golden age descended on a people ravaged by civil war |
| 0:26.8 | religious division from well-earned tyranny and puritanical laws |
| 0:30.7 | Theaters were reopened Christmas which had been cancelled was celebrated once again all orange sellers were beautiful and peace and prosperity |
| 0:38.1 | Rained across the land. That's one version of the restoration story |
| 0:41.9 | But despite the architecture of a rain and the literature of Dryden |
| 0:45.7 | Can an era that begins in plague and in fire |
| 0:49.1 | Continues with no little persecution and culminates in the glorious revolution ever really have had it so good |
| 0:55.1 | We relish the joyous diaries of peeps. What of the dark diary of his contemporary Roger Morris with me to separate the good times from the bad times and the |
| 1:03.7 | Restoration and to assess its place in our history is Richard Ollard author of many historical books on the Stuart |
| 1:09.6 | Period including the image of the King Mark Goldie lecture in history at Churchill College Cambridge University and Claire Jackson |
| 1:17.1 | Director of Studies in History at Trinity Hall Cambridge |
| 1:20.3 | Can I start with you Richard Ollard after the execution of Charles I and then in the Civil War of the 1640s |
| 1:27.1 | The execution of Charles I the Protectorate or tyranny of Chroma whichever you look at it |
| 1:32.6 | Charles II comes back as we said on horseback into London by it was almost like a royal progress rather than an invasion |
| 1:39.0 | What was restored briefly? We called it the restoration. What was restored? |
| 1:43.6 | Well, the good deal arguing about that at the time |
| 1:46.4 | I think that the chief political architect of the Restoration |
| 1:52.0 | Charles's first minister at the time Clarenton |
| 1:55.2 | What he thought was restored and what he hoped was restored was the situation |
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