William Careless, later Carlos | |
|---|---|
 King Charles II and Colonel William Careless in the Royal Oak by Isaac Fuller | |
| Born | c. 1610 Broom Hall, Brewood, Staffordshire |
| Died | 1689 London |
| Buried | St. Mary the Virgin and St. Chad churchyard, Brewood. |
| Allegiance | Royalist |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands | A troop and later a regiment of cavalry, the garrison of Tong Castle, officer of the Royal Guard, |
| Battles / wars | English Civil War, Bolton Massacre, Battle of Marston Moor, Battle of Worcester, Battle of the Dunes (1658) |
Colonel William Careless (surname variants include Carelesse, Carless, Carles and Carlis)[1] was a Royalist officer of the English Civil War. It has been estimated in various written sources that he was born c. 1620, however, it is more likely that he was born c. 1610.[2] He was the second son of John Careless of Broom Hall, Brewood, Staffordshire, and his wife Ellen Fluit.[3][4][5] He is chiefly remembered as the companion of King Charles II when the fugitive monarch hid in the Royal Oak following his defeat at the Battle of Worcester. His surname was changed to Carlos, the Spanish for Charles, by order of Charles II. He died in 1689.
- ^ The surname is most frequently recorded as "Carelesse" in the contemporary parish records of Brewood. The original meaning of the surname indicated 'a carefree nature' - that is being without worries - rather than the more modern primary meaning of 'taking insufficient care.'
- ^ His son William recorded that he was thirteen when his father was the governor of Tong Castle in 1644, making his father's birthdate more likely to have been around 1610 than 1620 - Foley, p. 180.
- ^ Grammont, pp. 514–515
- ^ Grazebrook, p.102 - the family were anciently seated at Albrighton, Shropshire - back to the time of Richard II, see: Griffiths, George (1894) A History of Tong Shropshire, London, p. 180 also Antiquities of Shropshire, Vol II, (1855) London, pp. 157–159. The family probably descend from Roger Careles or Carles c. 1270-c.1335, King's Fermor and lord of the manors of Albrighton and Ryton. [1]
- ^ William Salt Library MS