▁of ▁wood ▁and ▁fuel ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁prepared ▁for ▁the ▁coming ▁col der ▁months , ▁the ▁fire ▁eventually ▁consum ed ▁about ▁ 1 3 , 2 0 0 ▁houses ▁and ▁ 8 7 ▁churches , ▁including ▁St ▁Paul ' s ▁C athedral . ▁Charles ▁and ▁his ▁brother ▁James ▁joined ▁and ▁directed ▁the ▁fire - f ight ing ▁effort . ▁The ▁public ▁bl amed ▁Catholic ▁consp ir ators ▁for ▁the ▁fire , ▁and ▁one ▁French man , ▁Robert ▁Hub ert , ▁was ▁h anged ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁a ▁false ▁conf ession ▁even ▁though ▁he ▁had ▁no ▁hand ▁in ▁starting ▁the ▁fire . ▁ ▁Foreign ▁policy ▁and ▁marriage ▁▁ ▁Since ▁ 1 6 4 0 , ▁Portugal ▁had ▁been ▁fighting ▁a ▁war ▁against ▁Spain ▁to ▁restore ▁its ▁independence ▁after ▁a ▁d yn astic ▁union ▁of ▁si xty ▁years ▁between ▁the ▁crow ns ▁of ▁Spain ▁and ▁Portugal . ▁Portugal ▁had ▁been ▁helped ▁by ▁France , ▁but ▁in ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁the ▁Py ren ees ▁in ▁ 1 6 5 9 ▁Portugal ▁was ▁abandoned ▁by ▁its ▁French ▁al ly . ▁Neg oti ations ▁with ▁Portugal ▁for ▁Charles ' s ▁marriage ▁to ▁Catherine ▁of ▁B rag anza ▁began ▁during ▁his ▁father ' s ▁reign ▁and ▁upon ▁the ▁rest oration , ▁Queen ▁Lu ís a ▁of ▁Portugal , ▁acting ▁as ▁reg ent , ▁re open ed ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁England ▁that ▁resulted ▁in ▁an ▁al liance . ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁June ▁ 1 6 6 1 , ▁a ▁marriage ▁treat y ▁was ▁signed ; ▁England ▁acquired