King Edward II of England
Also known as Edward of Caernarvon, the son of Edward I was a highly unsuccessful king. He inherited his father's war with Scotland and a treasury deficit, then made matters worse by alienating the barons and surrounding himself with favorites, particularly Piers Gaveston, who may have been his lover.
Edward successfully put down one rebellion led by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster (who had supervised the execution of Gaveston), but was ultimately overthrown by his wife and her lover, Roger Mortimer. Forced to abdicate in favor of his son Edward III in January 1327, he was imprisoned and eventually died sometime in September, probably by violence.
Important Dates
Born: April 25, 1284
Crowned: July 7, 1307
Dynastic Table
Medieval & Renaissance Monarchs of England
Use this table to see the progression of Kings and Queens from Egbert of Wessex in the ninth century to Elizabeth I in the sixteenth. Hyperlinks lead to entries in Who's Who.
Image
King Edward II of England
This portrait from Cassell's History of England - Century Edition is free for your use. Part of the Medieval and Renaissance History Portrait Gallery here at this site.
On the Web
Edward II (1307-27 AD)
Concise, informative bio at Britannia Internet Magazine.Edward II (r. 1307-1327)
Brief overview at the official website of the British Monarchy.Edward II, King of England
Short but useful bio at History Bookshop.com.
In Print
King Edward II in Print
On Video
The link below will take you to a site where you can compare prices at merchants across the web. More in-depth info about the film may be found by clicking on to the film's page at one of the online merchants.
Braveheart
Mel Gibson directed and starred in this Academy Award-winner about Scottish hero William Wallace. Although considerable artistic license is taken, the film beautifully captures the atmosphere of 13th-century Britain. Also, Patrick McGoohan's performance as Edward I is not to be missed.
Related Resources
Medieval Britain
Sites that focus on general British medieval history, people, places, events, documents, the Norman Conquest, the Wars of the Roses, and the search for a historical King Arthur.
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