In mid-17th-century England, which king is most associated with the Restoration era?

• A. Charles I
• B. Charles II
• C. James II
• D. Oliver Cromwell

Answer: (B)

The Restoration era centers on the return of the monarchy after the Interregnum that followed the Civil War. The king most closely tied to that moment is Charles II, who was invited back to assume the throne in 1660, ending the republic and restoring royal rule. His arrival symbolized the renewal of traditional institutions, the reopening of theaters and old social norms, and a shift away from Puritan rule after years of republican governance.

Charles I’s reign ended with his execution and the purge of the monarchy, so he is associated with the events that preceded Restoration. James II ruled after Charles II and his deposition in the Glorious Revolution marks another turn in this period, not its beginning. Oliver Cromwell led the Commonwealth as Lord Protector, a republican regime rather than a monarchy, so his era is separate from the Restoration.