And today, we go from one of the most powerful English Kings, to one of the worst.
The son of Edward I... Edward II!
King Edward II became heir when his brother, Alphonso, died at a young age. Even though he was the fourth son and the ninth child, he wound up heir.
- Was a fairly normal young man as a child. He enjoyed normal activities, but was barred from jousting for fear of him dying. Still, he was known as a tall, strong, handsome young man with a flair for speaking and a respect for the peasantry.
- Was engaged to the 2 year old Isabella, daughter of the king of France, when he was 14. This was to not only secure peace with France, but also to link the English Throne to the French one. (This would lead to the 100 years' war, later.)
- At 16, he was dragged to the wars in Scotland by his father. He seemed to try his hand at command, but wasn't particularly good at it. Still, he managed to besiege and take a few castles.
- By 18, he was showing signs of homosexuality. He had become very close to Piers Gaveston, a squire in service to his father. At one point, his father became so furious that he tore out prince Edward's hair with his bare hands and exiled Piers to France.
- Whether or not he was homosexual, he was close enough to Piers to make it commonly THOUGHT that they were in a relationship at the time. This would become more blatant after his father died and Prince Edward became King Edward II. He immediately brought Piers Gaveston to England, and named him his second in command, to rule while he was away. He then traveled to France to marry Isabella. She was 12.
- Had five children with his wife, though their marriage was widely known to be loveless.
- Fought with his barons, who felt that Edward was letting Gaveston run the country for him. They resented the idea of a possible boyfriend of the King ruling the land while the two of them carried on in such a fashion. Even the Pope condemned it.
- Piers was exiled again, but soon returned, more powerful than before. He was seen wearing royal purple and the queen's pearl necklace in court.
- Edward's cousin, Thomas Plantagenet, Earl of Lancaster, mobilized a force to attack Gaveston. The King and Gaveston fled to the countryside with Isabella in tow, and a fortune in gold and jewels. Gaveston was found in possession of the money, and summarily executed by the Barons. Edward was beyond consolation, and is said to have gone into a mad rage. He was forced by his position to make peace with the barons, but he is said to have resented it.
- Fought against Robert the Bruce and the Scots at Bannockburn. This fight was a complete disaster, and Edward barely escaped with his life. Scotland was now completely lost to England. Robert became King of Scotland.
- Thomas took this opportunity to gain more power, and Robert raided northern England. York was sacked. Famine came the next year, and people began to think that God had cursed England for the "Evil behavior of the King."
- A mad peasant came forward claiming that the King was actually a changeling from Hell, and that he was the real King. Although the man was executed, suspicions remained...
- Edward continued to have "favorites," heaping gold and land on young and handsome men. His wife was embarrassed and disgusted, and began to hate him. The Barons were outraged.
- Edward became close to Hugh Despenser, a corrupt and handsome noble. Edward lavished gifts, power, land, and money on the Despenser family. This led to full out civil war in 1321.
- Thomas Plantagenet again beat the King, and Edward was forced to exile Hugh. However, this time he swore revenge.
- He brought the Despensers back, turned the tables on Thomas, and had his cousin captured and executed. This only infuriated the other barons more. No one knew who Edward and the Despensers would kill next. Isabella fled to France.
- As the Despensers continued their campaign of corruption and embezzlement, Thomas was hailed as a martyr and a possible saint. The barons all began to turn on the king.
- Meanwhile, the French king (Edward's brother in law) had moved on Edward's holdings in France. Soon, Edward had lost all the land that his father had claimed, and then some. Isabella agreed to negotiate peace with her brother in exchange for a huge amount of gold, and their son, Edward, to be sent to her. King Edward stupidly did this. Isabella kept the gold, kept their son, and proceeded to take a lover, Roger Mortimer. She did not attempt to hide this. France was openly mocking Edward now.
- In 1326, Isabella and Roger Mortimer invaded England. Most of the Barons joined them, celebrating their arrival. Their intent was to put young prince Edward on the throne. He was 12 at the time.
- Edward and the Despensers attempted to entrench themselves in London, but the people of London ran them out. They fled, but were eventually captured. Hugh the Elder was executed, but Edward and Hugh the younger, his probable lover, escaped. They were betrayed and recaptured. Hugh the younger was drawn, disemboweled, castrated, and murdered in public. Edward was imprisoned.
- What happened next is disputed. Some say King Edward was smothered. Others say he was pressed between two heavy tables. Still others say he was sodomized by a red hot poker. In any case, he was killed in jail. His son, young prince Edward, was now king, and his mother and her lover were his regents.
- Edward II was not mourned nor lamented. To this day, he's still seen as one of the worst kings in history.
The son of Edward I... Edward II!
King Edward II became heir when his brother, Alphonso, died at a young age. Even though he was the fourth son and the ninth child, he wound up heir.
- Was a fairly normal young man as a child. He enjoyed normal activities, but was barred from jousting for fear of him dying. Still, he was known as a tall, strong, handsome young man with a flair for speaking and a respect for the peasantry.
- Was engaged to the 2 year old Isabella, daughter of the king of France, when he was 14. This was to not only secure peace with France, but also to link the English Throne to the French one. (This would lead to the 100 years' war, later.)
- At 16, he was dragged to the wars in Scotland by his father. He seemed to try his hand at command, but wasn't particularly good at it. Still, he managed to besiege and take a few castles.
- By 18, he was showing signs of homosexuality. He had become very close to Piers Gaveston, a squire in service to his father. At one point, his father became so furious that he tore out prince Edward's hair with his bare hands and exiled Piers to France.
- Whether or not he was homosexual, he was close enough to Piers to make it commonly THOUGHT that they were in a relationship at the time. This would become more blatant after his father died and Prince Edward became King Edward II. He immediately brought Piers Gaveston to England, and named him his second in command, to rule while he was away. He then traveled to France to marry Isabella. She was 12.
- Had five children with his wife, though their marriage was widely known to be loveless.
- Fought with his barons, who felt that Edward was letting Gaveston run the country for him. They resented the idea of a possible boyfriend of the King ruling the land while the two of them carried on in such a fashion. Even the Pope condemned it.
- Piers was exiled again, but soon returned, more powerful than before. He was seen wearing royal purple and the queen's pearl necklace in court.
- Edward's cousin, Thomas Plantagenet, Earl of Lancaster, mobilized a force to attack Gaveston. The King and Gaveston fled to the countryside with Isabella in tow, and a fortune in gold and jewels. Gaveston was found in possession of the money, and summarily executed by the Barons. Edward was beyond consolation, and is said to have gone into a mad rage. He was forced by his position to make peace with the barons, but he is said to have resented it.
- Fought against Robert the Bruce and the Scots at Bannockburn. This fight was a complete disaster, and Edward barely escaped with his life. Scotland was now completely lost to England. Robert became King of Scotland.
- Thomas took this opportunity to gain more power, and Robert raided northern England. York was sacked. Famine came the next year, and people began to think that God had cursed England for the "Evil behavior of the King."
- A mad peasant came forward claiming that the King was actually a changeling from Hell, and that he was the real King. Although the man was executed, suspicions remained...
- Edward continued to have "favorites," heaping gold and land on young and handsome men. His wife was embarrassed and disgusted, and began to hate him. The Barons were outraged.
- Edward became close to Hugh Despenser, a corrupt and handsome noble. Edward lavished gifts, power, land, and money on the Despenser family. This led to full out civil war in 1321.
- Thomas Plantagenet again beat the King, and Edward was forced to exile Hugh. However, this time he swore revenge.
- He brought the Despensers back, turned the tables on Thomas, and had his cousin captured and executed. This only infuriated the other barons more. No one knew who Edward and the Despensers would kill next. Isabella fled to France.
- As the Despensers continued their campaign of corruption and embezzlement, Thomas was hailed as a martyr and a possible saint. The barons all began to turn on the king.
- Meanwhile, the French king (Edward's brother in law) had moved on Edward's holdings in France. Soon, Edward had lost all the land that his father had claimed, and then some. Isabella agreed to negotiate peace with her brother in exchange for a huge amount of gold, and their son, Edward, to be sent to her. King Edward stupidly did this. Isabella kept the gold, kept their son, and proceeded to take a lover, Roger Mortimer. She did not attempt to hide this. France was openly mocking Edward now.
- In 1326, Isabella and Roger Mortimer invaded England. Most of the Barons joined them, celebrating their arrival. Their intent was to put young prince Edward on the throne. He was 12 at the time.
- Edward and the Despensers attempted to entrench themselves in London, but the people of London ran them out. They fled, but were eventually captured. Hugh the Elder was executed, but Edward and Hugh the younger, his probable lover, escaped. They were betrayed and recaptured. Hugh the younger was drawn, disemboweled, castrated, and murdered in public. Edward was imprisoned.
- What happened next is disputed. Some say King Edward was smothered. Others say he was pressed between two heavy tables. Still others say he was sodomized by a red hot poker. In any case, he was killed in jail. His son, young prince Edward, was now king, and his mother and her lover were his regents.
- Edward II was not mourned nor lamented. To this day, he's still seen as one of the worst kings in history.