His mother went on to marry Sir Edward Greene of Samford in Essex, but they had no children. Charles FitzCharles was born in or about 1657. He was the illegitimate son of Charles II, by Catherine, daughter of Thomas Pegge of Yeldersley, Derbyshire.
He was educated abroad, probably in Spain and he was known by the nickname of "Don Carlos".
He had a sister called Catherine FitzCharles who became a nun. His subsidiary titles were Viscount Totness and Baron Dartmouth. Charles II had the affair with Catherine (or Katherine) Pegge whilst he was abroad in exile.
Charles the younger was allowed to use the Royal arms with a "baton sinister, Vaire. and was bred to the sea".
Nevertheless the Earl of Plymouth, notwithstanding he was sensible of the danger, insisted on accompanying him. The Sultan Moulay Ismail of Morocco had made an unsuccessful attempt to seize the town of Tangier in 1679, but ended up imposing a crippling blockade.
The King"s Own Royal Regiment was formed on the 13 July 1680 as the 2nd Tangier, or Earl of Plymouth"s Regiment of Foot, with Charles as the founding Colonel. Charles died of dysentery without issue on 17 October 1680, aged 23, and the English were ultimately forced to withdraw, ending their presence in Tangier.
The title of Earl of Plymouth became extinct, but it was recreated two years later for Thomas Hickman-Windsor, 1st Earl of Plymouth (born 1682).
Plymouth"s body was returned to England and he was buried on 18 January 1681 in Westminster Abbey. Bridget left the Bishop a widower and he erected a handsome tablet in her honour in Hereford Cathedral.
Sir William Dugdale wrote, giving much testimony of his singular accomplishments: In the time of his youth, he was elevated to the peerage, 28 July 1675, as Baron of Dartmouth, Viscount Totness, and Earl of Plymouth, to the end he might be the more encouraged to persist in the paths of virtue, and thereby be the better fitted for the managery of great affairs when he should attain to riper years.
