Marriage of Charles II and Catherine of Braganza
- When
- 1661–1662
- Where
- Unknown; Portsmouth
- Episodes
- 3
Charles II of England married Catherine of Braganza on 21 May 1662, following a treaty signed in June 1661. The union secured a substantial dowry including Tangier, Bombay, and trading rights, despite religious objections.
Episodes
- Marriage Treaty Signing
A marriage treaty was signed on 23 June 1661, establishing the terms for the union between Charles II and Catherine of Braganza.
- Catherine's Arrival
Catherine of Braganza arrived at Portsmouth on the evening of 13 May 1662, meeting her future husband the following week.
- Dual Marriage Ceremonies
Charles II and Catherine of Braganza were married on 21 May 1662 in two distinct ceremonies, one Catholic and one Anglican.
Background and detail
Diplomatic Context. Following the 1660 Restoration, Charles II sought a marriage alliance. After an alliance with Louis XIV failed, discussions with Portugal resumed. A treaty was signed on 23 June 1661, overcoming English preference for a Protestant bride and Spanish objections.
Dowry Terms. The marriage treaty included a significant dowry: the port of Tangier, the Seven Islands of Bombay, trading privileges in Brazil and the Portuguese East Indies, and two million Portuguese crowns. These assets were key factors in selecting Catherine.
Marriage Ceremony. Catherine arrived at Portsmouth on 13 May 1662 and met Charles on 20 May. The following day, 21 May, they were married in two ceremonies: a secret Catholic rite followed by a public Church of England service.
People involved
- Charles II · King of England, Scotland, and Ireland
- Catherine of Braganza · Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland
Sources
- Catherine of Braganza Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-26
- Charles II of England Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-13
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.