First English Prince of Wales
Edward I had managed to finally conquer Wales and hoped to do the same with Scotland. When the infant Edward was made the first English Prince of Wales his father believed that it symbolised the end of Welsh independence. If Edward I was hoping for an heir who was a fearsome warrior like himself he was disappointed. Although Edward II was left with a formidable army to finish the English conquest of Scotland he also had a determined opponent in the form of Robert the Bruce.
Defeat in Scotland and Unrest in England
When Edward II gained the throne in 1306 the complete subordination of Scotland seemed almost inevitable. Edward II not only lacked his father's aggression and military genius; he was unable to find English military leaders capable of defeating Robert the Bruce. To make matters worse he brought about two brief civil wars to England either side of his failed effort to defeat the Scots once and for all. These civil wars were caused by his determination to protect his favourites from the English Nobles that wanted them removed from office and favour (favor).
The decisive turning point of Edward II's reign was the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 when the Scots superbly led by Robert the Bruce heavily defeated the much larger English army. That crushing defeat led not only to the fall of Stirling Castle it resulted in the expulsion of the English from Scotland.
Edward II might have kept his crown and his life if his rule in England had not been as inept as his efforts to defeat Robert the Bruce. Edward alienated many of the most powerful noble families in England by offering power and influence to French commoners. His favourites were regarded as being corrupt and greedy. It was also strongly rumoured that the king was an active homosexual, which further undermined his position in an age when such activities were illegal.
Dethronement And Murder
Edward II was removed from the throne in 1327 after a successful plot led by his wife Isabella of France and her lover Roger Mortimer. His death was later avenged by his son Edward III. The plotters then imprisoned Edward II and proceeded to murder him using a red-hot poker, or so it is frequently said, no further detail will be provided here on the grounds of good taste.
Bibliography
Crystal D (1998) Chambers’ Biographical Encyclopedia, 2nd edition, Edinburgh
Holmes R, (2007) Battlefield, Oxford University Press, Oxford
Gardiner & Wenborn (1995) The History Today Companion to British History, Little, Brown & Co, London
Lenman B, (2004) Chambers Dictionary of World History, Edinburgh
