Was Edward II Murdered in 1327 or Not? Long Live the King: The Mysterious Fate of Edward II Find out in my book

My Isabella of France Biography Isabella of France: The Rebel Queen was published on 15 March 2016 in Europe and on 24 May in the US. It can be purchased at My bookwas published on 15 March 2016 in Europe and on 24 May in the US. It can be purchased at Amazon UK Amazon US and Amberley Publishing

Isabella of France: The Rebel Queen



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My article about the earl of Kent's plot to free Edward II in 1330, published in the English Historical Review in 2011.

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About Me Kathryn Warner I hold a BA and an MA with Distinction in Medieval History and Literature. View my complete profile

Effigy of Edward II



Caernarfon Castle, birthplace of Edward II



Recommended Books Kathryn Warner, Edward II: The Unconventional King (2014) (mine!)

Seymour Phillips, Edward II (2010)

Ian Mortimer, Medieval Intrigue: Decoding Royal Conspiracies (2010)

Ian Mortimer, The Perfect King: The Life of Edward III (2006)

Roy Martin Haines, King Edward II (2003)

"I greatly lament that I have utterly failed my people, but I could not be other than I am." Edward II at his abdication, January 1327 (Flores Historiarum)







Tomb of Edward II, Gloucester Cathedral



Blog Archive

Edward's titles, 1312 Edward, par la grace de DIEU, Roi d’Engleterre, seignur d’Irlaunde, ducs d’Aquitaine, & conte de Pontif & de Monstroil [Edward, by the grace of GOD, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine, and Count of Ponthieu and Montreuil]

Edward II's coronation oath, 25 February 1308 Sire, volez vous graunter, è garder, &, par vostre serment, confermer au poeple d’Engleterre les leys, & les custumes, à eux grauntees par les auntiens Rois d’Engleterre, voz predecessours droitures & devotz a DIEU; & nomement les lois, les custumes, & les fraunchises, grantez au clerge, è au poeple par le glorieus Roi seint Edward, vostre predecessour? Jeo les grante & promette. Sire, garderez vous à DIEU, & seinte eglise, & au clerge, & au poeple paes, & acord en DIEU entierment, solonc vostre poer? Jeo les garderai. Sire, freez vous faire, en touz voz jugementz, ovele & droit justice & discretion, en misericorde & verite, à vostre poer? Jeo le frai. Sire, graunte vous à tenir & garder les loys & les custumes droitureles, les quiels la communaute de vostre roiaume aura esleu, & les defendrez & afforcerez, al honour de DIEU, à vostre poer? Jeo les graunte & promette.

Edward II's coronation oath: translation Sire, will you grant and keep and by your oath confirm to the people of England the laws and customs given to them by the previous just and god-fearing kings, your ancestors, and especially the laws, customs, and liberties granted to the clergy and people by the glorious king, the sainted Edward, your predecessor? I grant and promise them. Sire, will you in all your judgments, so far as in you lies, preserve to God and Holy Church, and to the people and clergy, entire peace and concord before God? I will preserve them. Sire, will you, so far as in you lies, cause justice to be rendered rightly, impartially, and wisely, in compassion and in truth? I will do so. Sire, do you grant to be held and observed the just laws and customs that the community of your realm shall determine, and will you, so far as in you lies, defend and strengthen them to the honour of God? I grant and promise them.

Edward II



Edward II is forced to banish Piers Gaveston, 1308 Le Roi a touz ceaus, qi cestes lettres verront ou orront, salutz. Nous vous feisoms savoir que, entre ci, & le jour, que monsire Pieres de Gavaston doit vueder nostre roiaume, cest assavoir lendemaine de la feste de la Nativite Seint Johan le Baptistre, precheinement avenir; Nous ne feroms nule maniere de chose, ne ne souffroms estre fait, tant come en nous est, par quei la vuedance de meisme celi Pieres soit desturbee, ou delaee en nul point, q’elle ne soit parfaite selonc ce, que par prelatz, contes & barons de nostre dit roiaume, nous est conseillez, & par nous acordetz. En tesmoignance de queu chose, nous avoms fait faire cestes nos lettres overtes. Donees a Westmostier, le xviii. jour du moys de May.

Penny of Edward II's reign



Tomb of Edward II



Amouncement of the birth of Edward III, November 1312 Isabella, by the grace of God, Queen of England, Lady of Ireland, and Duchess of Aquitaine, to our well-beloved the Mayor and aldermen and the commonalty of London, greeting. Forasmuch as we believe that you would willingly hear good tidings of us, we do make known to you that our Lord, of His grace, has delivered us of a son, on the 13th day of November, with safety to ourselves, and to the child. May our Lord preserve you.

Berkeley Castle, scene of Edward II's imprisonment



Letter of Queen Isabella to Edward II, 1314 My very dear and dread Lord, I commend myself to you as humbly as I can. My dear Lord, you have heard how our seneschal and our controller of Ponthieu have come from Ponthieu concerning our affairs; ...I beg you, my gentle Lord, that by this message it may please you to request your chancellor by letter that he may summon those of your council to him and take steps speedily in this matter, according to what he and your council see what is best to do for your honour and profit....May the Holy Spirit keep you, my very dear and dread Lord.

The Vita Edwardi Secundi on Edward II and Piers Gaveston I do not remember to have heard that one man so loved another. Jonathan cherished David, Achilles loved Patroclus. But we do not read that they were immoderate. Our King, however, was incapable of moderate favour, and on account of Piers was said to forget himself, and so Piers was accounted a sorcerer.

Edward II



Hereford 1326

