A rare document that played a vital role in paving King Charles II's path to power is set to be auctioned off by Sotheby's for between £400,000 and £600,000.
The document, known as the Declaration of Breda, was signed by King Charles II and is one of only two surviving copies. It is considered to be the most important document related to Britain's royal history ever to come to the market, according to Sotheby's.
The document played a significant role in enabling the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 after a series of turbulent decades that followed the British Civil Wars, which were fought between 1639 and 1653. The wars resulted in the execution of King Charles I and the establishment of the republican government, the Commonwealth of England. After the death of Oliver Cromwell in 1658, unrest began to grow, with some calling for the return of the exiled king, Charles II.
Seizing the opportunity amidst instability, Charles drew up an agreement to unify Parliament and the realm's military rulers. The document, known as the Declaration of Breda, outlined his vision for his future reign and resulted in his return to power in London, where he ruled for 25 years.
The Declaration of Breda was initially sent in April 1660 from exile in Breda in the Protestant Netherlands to the House of Commons, City of London, Army, House of Lords and the Navy. The document indicated a desire to reconcile the various arms of governance and deliver closure from the pains of the civil wars. Reflecting its conciliatory tone, one extract reads: “To all Our loving Subjects ... after this long Silence, We have thought it Our Duty to Declare how much We desire to contribute thereunto ... We can never give over the hope in good time to obteyne the possession of that Right, which God and Nature hath made Our Due ... after so long misery & sufferings ... with as little bloud and dammage to our People, as is possible."
While three copies have been lost, the document sent to the Navy, addressed by Charles as "the walls of the kingdom,” is being offered for sale at Sotheby's. It was first handed to Samuel Pepys, who was secretary to the general at sea, Edward Montagu, and was tasked with convincing the navy to support the king. Pepys addressed a group of senior navy representatives and presided over a key vote. In a diary entry for May 3 1660, he described reading the Declaration of Breda to the men.
"The commanders all came on board ... I read the letter and declaration; and while they were discoursing upon it, I seemed to draw up a vote .... Not one man seemed to say no to it, though I am confident many in their hearts were against it. After this was done, I went to the Quarter-deck with my Lord and the commanders, and there read both the papers and the vote ...the seamen did all of them cry out ‘God bless King Charles’ with the greatest joy imaginable.”
With his letter having won all five parties over, Charles was proclaimed king on May 8, 1660. The Declaration of Breda set the monarchy on a path that led to the constitutional monarchy that we know today as Charles III ascends the throne.
The rare document is part of Sotheby's one-off Coronation Sale, which brings together an array of fine manuscripts, jewellery, artworks, and other objects spanning the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The pieces will be displayed at Sotheby's New Bond Street galleries until May 4, ahead of King Charles III’s coronation on May 6. Photo by Wikimedia commons.