King Edward II is the English monarch who famously lost the Battle of Bannockburn against Robert the Bruce in 1314 and who was murdered for being gay - his gay relationship with Hugh Despenser alienated Edward's queen Isabella - by having a red-hot poker shoved up his anus at Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire in 1327.
As part of BBC History Extra's new Kings and Queens series, medieval historian Kathryn Warner explores the life of Edward II, king of England and lord of Ireland.
Kings and Queens in profile: Edward II
Tuesday 27th May 2014
Submitted by Emma McFarnon
BBC History Extra
Born: 25 April 1284, at Caernarfon Castle in north Wales
Died: 21 September 1327, at Berkeley Castle (but some believed that he lived on after this time)
Ruled: July 1307–January 1327
Family: the youngest child of Edward I (1239–1307) and his first wife, Eleanor of Castile (1241–90)
Successor: his 14-year-old son, who became Edward III
Remembered for: his defeat to Robert Bruce at the battle of Bannockburn on 24 June 1314, and for being overthrown by his wife in favour of his son
Life: Edward II was born in Caernarfon, north Wales on 25 April 1284, as at least the 14th (possibly 16th) and youngest child of Edward I (Longshanks; the Hammer of the Scots) and his first wife, Spanish queen Eleanor of Castile.
His three older brothers John, Henry and Alfonso died in childhood, and Edward succeeded his father as king of England in July 1307, when he was 23.
His reign was a disaster. He was unsuited to the position into which he was born, and had been left a very difficult legacy by his father – enormous debts, an unwinnable war in Scotland, dissatisfied magnates, and hostile relations with powerful France.
Consequently, Edward’s reign lurched from one crisis to another: endless conflict with his barons, constant threats of civil war, and failed military campaigns in Scotland.
A notable feature of his reign is his reliance on male ‘favourites’, most famously Piers Gaveston, whom Edward made Earl of Cornwall and who was executed in 1312 by a group of English earls.
Edward’s dedication to his last and most powerful favourite, Hugh Despenser the Younger, brought both of them down in 1326 after they alienated Edward’s queen, Isabella of France. She invaded her husband’s kingdom with the help of her own favourite, the English baron Roger Mortimer.
Edward was forced to abdicate his throne to his 14-year-old son Edward III in January 1327 – it was the first time this had ever happened in England.
Edward II is best known for his humiliating defeat to Robert Bruce at the battle of Bannockburn on 24 June 1314, and for the alleged manner of his murder at Berkeley Castle on 21 September 1327 – by having a red-hot poker inserted into his anus.
Caernarfon Castle, the birthplace of Edward II. The castle was a powerful statement of English rule in Wales
Next month sees the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn
This story is, however, a myth, as is the tale invented in the Hollywood film Braveheart that Edward’s queen, Isabella, had an affair with William Wallace, who was the real father of Edward’s son. Wallace was executed two-and-a-half-years before 12-year-old Isabella even arrived in England, and there is no doubt whatsoever that Edward II was the father of all of Isabella’s four children.
There is evidence to indicate that Edward was not killed at Berkeley Castle in 1327 at all, but survived for years afterwards, perhaps in Italy. Utterly implausible as this sounds, many influential people – including the archbishop of York; the bishop and mayor of London; earls, lords, sheriffs and numerous others, firmly believed that Edward was still alive.
Edward is often considered to be one of England’s worst kings, and given that he was the first one forced to abdicate, this is not an unfair judgment. He was entirely unconventional by the standards of his time. He is said to have enjoyed the company of his lowborn subjects and their pursuits; dug ditches and thatched roofs; and swum in the company of carpenters, fishermen and ditchers.
Edward’s 19-year reign was inglorious, yet he and his era have their fascinations. He is one of only a handful of people throughout history to found colleges at both Oxford and Cambridge, something he should perhaps be better remembered for.
Gay Edward II had affairs with two men - Piers Gaveston and Hugh Despenser - and his (allegedly, according to legend) grisly death at Berkeley Castle in 1327, by having a red-hot poker shoved up his anus, may have been arranged by his wife, Isabella, and her lover, Roger Mortimer. He was held in a cell above the rotting corpses of animals, in an attempt to kill him indirectly. But Edward was extremely strong, fit and healthy, and survived the treatment, until on the night of 21 September 1327, he was held down and a red-hot poker pushed into his anus through a drenching-horn. His screams could be heard for miles around.
Kathryn Warner will next month appear in a two-part BBC Two documentary, The Quest for Bannockburn, as an expert on Edward II. The programme, being presented by Neil Oliver, marks the 700th anniversary of the battle of Bannockburn, which Edward lost.
Kathryn's biography of Edward II, as yet untitled, is due to be published by Amberley in October 2014.
Kings and Queens in profile: the life, death and reign of Edward II | History Extra
As part of BBC History Extra's new Kings and Queens series, medieval historian Kathryn Warner explores the life of Edward II, king of England and lord of Ireland.
Kings and Queens in profile: Edward II
Tuesday 27th May 2014
Submitted by Emma McFarnon
BBC History Extra
Born: 25 April 1284, at Caernarfon Castle in north Wales
Died: 21 September 1327, at Berkeley Castle (but some believed that he lived on after this time)
Ruled: July 1307–January 1327
Family: the youngest child of Edward I (1239–1307) and his first wife, Eleanor of Castile (1241–90)
Successor: his 14-year-old son, who became Edward III
Remembered for: his defeat to Robert Bruce at the battle of Bannockburn on 24 June 1314, and for being overthrown by his wife in favour of his son
Life: Edward II was born in Caernarfon, north Wales on 25 April 1284, as at least the 14th (possibly 16th) and youngest child of Edward I (Longshanks; the Hammer of the Scots) and his first wife, Spanish queen Eleanor of Castile.
His three older brothers John, Henry and Alfonso died in childhood, and Edward succeeded his father as king of England in July 1307, when he was 23.
His reign was a disaster. He was unsuited to the position into which he was born, and had been left a very difficult legacy by his father – enormous debts, an unwinnable war in Scotland, dissatisfied magnates, and hostile relations with powerful France.
Consequently, Edward’s reign lurched from one crisis to another: endless conflict with his barons, constant threats of civil war, and failed military campaigns in Scotland.
A notable feature of his reign is his reliance on male ‘favourites’, most famously Piers Gaveston, whom Edward made Earl of Cornwall and who was executed in 1312 by a group of English earls.
Edward’s dedication to his last and most powerful favourite, Hugh Despenser the Younger, brought both of them down in 1326 after they alienated Edward’s queen, Isabella of France. She invaded her husband’s kingdom with the help of her own favourite, the English baron Roger Mortimer.
Edward was forced to abdicate his throne to his 14-year-old son Edward III in January 1327 – it was the first time this had ever happened in England.
Edward II is best known for his humiliating defeat to Robert Bruce at the battle of Bannockburn on 24 June 1314, and for the alleged manner of his murder at Berkeley Castle on 21 September 1327 – by having a red-hot poker inserted into his anus.
Caernarfon Castle, the birthplace of Edward II. The castle was a powerful statement of English rule in Wales
Next month sees the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn
This story is, however, a myth, as is the tale invented in the Hollywood film Braveheart that Edward’s queen, Isabella, had an affair with William Wallace, who was the real father of Edward’s son. Wallace was executed two-and-a-half-years before 12-year-old Isabella even arrived in England, and there is no doubt whatsoever that Edward II was the father of all of Isabella’s four children.
There is evidence to indicate that Edward was not killed at Berkeley Castle in 1327 at all, but survived for years afterwards, perhaps in Italy. Utterly implausible as this sounds, many influential people – including the archbishop of York; the bishop and mayor of London; earls, lords, sheriffs and numerous others, firmly believed that Edward was still alive.
Edward is often considered to be one of England’s worst kings, and given that he was the first one forced to abdicate, this is not an unfair judgment. He was entirely unconventional by the standards of his time. He is said to have enjoyed the company of his lowborn subjects and their pursuits; dug ditches and thatched roofs; and swum in the company of carpenters, fishermen and ditchers.
Edward’s 19-year reign was inglorious, yet he and his era have their fascinations. He is one of only a handful of people throughout history to found colleges at both Oxford and Cambridge, something he should perhaps be better remembered for.
Gay Edward II had affairs with two men - Piers Gaveston and Hugh Despenser - and his (allegedly, according to legend) grisly death at Berkeley Castle in 1327, by having a red-hot poker shoved up his anus, may have been arranged by his wife, Isabella, and her lover, Roger Mortimer. He was held in a cell above the rotting corpses of animals, in an attempt to kill him indirectly. But Edward was extremely strong, fit and healthy, and survived the treatment, until on the night of 21 September 1327, he was held down and a red-hot poker pushed into his anus through a drenching-horn. His screams could be heard for miles around.
Kathryn Warner will next month appear in a two-part BBC Two documentary, The Quest for Bannockburn, as an expert on Edward II. The programme, being presented by Neil Oliver, marks the 700th anniversary of the battle of Bannockburn, which Edward lost.
Kathryn's biography of Edward II, as yet untitled, is due to be published by Amberley in October 2014.
Kings and Queens in profile: the life, death and reign of Edward II | History Extra
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