Edward II

The English Monarchs

by Seymour Phillips

Edward II (1284–1327), King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine, was the object of ignominy during his lifetime and calumny since it. Conventionally viewed as worthless, incapable of sustained policy, and significant only for his sporadic displays of ill-directed energy or a stubborn adherence to greedy and ambitious favorites, he has been presented as fit only to be deposed and replaced by someone more worthy of the throne.

This definitive biography, the fruit of a lifetime’s study, does not present Edward II as a heroic or successful king: his deposition after a turbulent reign of nearly twenty years is proof enough that it went terribly wrong. But Seymour Phillips’ scrutiny of the multitude of available sources shows that a richer picture emerges, in line with the complexity of events and of the man himself. If Edward II was not a successful king, he was not fundamentally different in many ways from most English monarchs. The biography strikes a deft balance, taking full account of the problems the king faced in England, Scotland, and Ireland and in his relations with France. It also tackles the contentious issue of whether Edward II did not die in 1327, murdered under barbaric circumstances, but lived on as a captive in England and then a wanderer on the Continent. Eight hundred years on, a king’s life is properly examined.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Medieval History, Medieval, British Literature, European History

704 pages, Hardcover

First published May 18, 2010

Reviews

[Geevee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine and well written book. The level of research coupled with Mr Phillips's obvious depth of knowledge and understanding for his subject and the period makes for a readable and detailed study. There are numerous footnotes and a rich bibliography to support this too.

My only - and it is a minor complaint - is as a lay reader I would have benefited from some family trees for the principal characters and/or perhaps some brief biographical details of the key players outside of the direct royal family.

Outside of this though the book added greatly to my understanding of a monarch and the period I find fascinating.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still not finished this book, but my feeling is that it is impressively comprehensive but really lacks analsyis, since when you do come across an interesting view point it rather stands out. So basically, meh.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though a huge tome at over 600 pages (excluding bibliography), this is probably one of the least dry and dull history books I have ever had the pleasure to read. It is an academic work, but it doesn't exactly read like one - the academic stuff is there- in abundance - but it's written in a way that doesn't make you feel like you need to go back to the top of the page and re-read it again. Plus, I really liked the subheadings in each chapter; it's so much easier to get through when you think of it as a bunch of four-or-five page sections in each chapter rather than the daunting nigh on 700 pages that it is.

As for the subject itself, Phillips presents a far more sympathetic version of Edward that we have seen in the past. He is a figure that was left a legacy that even the best of us would struggle to compete with, and his character simply wasn't fit for the job. Ironically, Edward would conform far more to modern standards of kingship than he did to his own, and I think that only makes his tale sadder. He's a complex character, and whilst he's absolutely no saint, he's not exactly the tyrannical monster he's been portrayed as either. He was vindictive, stubborn, he could hold a grudge for years. But he was also fiercely loyal - it's simply a shame he was loyal to the wrong people. He could be strategic when he wanted to, and he could play the game of kingship somewhat well when he felt like it.
The Edward Phillips shows us is flawed and complicated, but no supervillain. Perhaps it is time, as Phillips suggests, to really ask: "Who was Edward II?"

[Norman Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very thorough and very thoughtful biography of one of England's least-loved kings. Phillips offers a very plausible view of Edward II, and reduces the sensational aspects of the king's legend, while showing a person. That Edward was not a particularly competent king seems apparent (any king who manages to get his wife, son, and two half-brothers to join a conspiracy against him really lacks something!), but it is also apparent that he was in a tough situation. Phillips quotes another author to the effect that "Edward was dealt a bad hand, and played it very badly."

The book seems enormous on starting into it, but about half of every page is taken up with footnotes, so if you are looking for a scholarly, researched volume, this is it. I found it pretty easy reading compared to some other biographies in the English Monarchs series, but this really is for people interested in an in-depth and balanced view rather than a popular history.

One other note, on the book as a physical artifact: This is really one of the nicest-feeling books I've read in a long time, with beautiful paper and covers. There is great tactile pleasure in reading a book like this.

[R.J. Gilmour · Rating 2 out of 5]

The past couple of weeks have I have had little of interest to read. I tried Seymour Phillips's Edward II (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2010), but the book is an academic tome intended for scholars embedded in the research of Edward II written in that really dry manner used by academics. I was inspired to read about Edward II while watching David Starkey's Monarchy series but have found it hard to sink into the text. In the place of interesting books I have been watching a few online episodes of Starkey's series every night.

[Susan]

Just got this today and am already enjoying looking up things in the index!

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent biography of Edward. This book is a good counterweight to Alison Weir's somewhat partisan book about Isabella. Thoroughly researched and, in general, fairly engagingly written.

[Eric Grounds · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading the biographies of English Kings for the past ten years. Edward II was never at the top of my list because I always thought that his father and his son were infinitely more interesting.

It was in Mortimers 'Perfect King' that I first heard about the survival of Edward II after he was deposed and then, apparently, murdered in the most brutal fashion. Seymour Phillips alludes to this, but disagrees with Mortimer, believing that he was indeed murdered. Who can say? Two eminent and credible historians disagreeing over something pretty fundamental. It makes for very good reading and debate

[Mark Merritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good academic account of Edward II and his times. It’s not full of battle scenes or salacious accounts of sodomy so prevalent in our “normal” understanding of this rather distant monarch. Mr. Phillips use of sources and his heavy footnoting provide a solid foundation for understanding this man. However, there just is so much we really don’t know. The Parliament rolls and various church records speak volumes, but not much on things we would look to now, especially in writing a biography of a king.

So in the end, we have a flawed man, who made too many enemy’s and paid a terrible price. Such is life!

[Russell Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when your entire reign is ended and made the but of jokes for centuries to come? What if your father is a strong warrior king and your son is a strong warrior king, but you not so much? Edward II is surrounded by scandal and favorites. This thorough account is open for perusal and the examination of what the history has to say, naming each red hot scandal, and allowing room for interpretation and how likely an outcome is or is not.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very comprehensive history of Edward II,

[Ratratrat · Rating 3 out of 5]

per ora sono agli inizi. Mi incuriosiva la biografia di un re così discusso e penso il primo della serie di re inglesi deposti e assassinati o giustiziati. Mi sembra uno studio ben fatto anche se più impegnativo di quel che pensavo ordinandolo. Faticoso, comunque e troppo dettagliato. In più mostra i fatti, ma poco le motivazioni. perché Gaveston era odiato dai nobili? perché Edoardo invece ci teneva tanto e appena possibile lo richiamava? perché Lancaster gli era sempre avverso? ecco, ci sono i fatti , e tantissimi ( mi perdo coi tanti personaggi, nobili, vescovi) e non riesco a farmene un'immagine. E' stata lunga e su alcuni dettagli ho sorvolato. Rimane che nonostante le tante informazioni, Edoardo II sfugge come persona alla conoscenza attuale. E un sacco di racconti che sono stati fatti su di lui- e che ricordo dai romanzi storici- secondo l'autore sono invenzioni successive. Che fosse omosessuale e fosse l'amante dei suoi consiglieri adesso è di moda dirlo, ma non ci sono accuse a riguardo se non generiche, trattandosi di un'accusa allora estremamente infamante e usata per gettare discredito sui propri nemici: c'è da dire che ebbe regolarmente nel tempo quattro figli con la moglie, e pure forse un bastardo... che la moglie lo odiasse e fosse l'amante di Mortimer anche questo l'autore lo ritiene scarsamente probabile, secondo lui l'alleanza fra Isabella a Mortimer fu politica contro il Despenser giovane, che viene accusato di rapacità e di eccessiva influenza sul re. Fu il primo re inglese deposto o costretto ad abdicare - non è chiaro il ruolo dei nobili e del parlamento- non accusandolo di tirannia ma di incapacità a regnare e fu con ogni probabilità ucciso poco dopo. Come accadde un secolo dopo al suo discendente Riccardo II, che non per nulla ne aveva una venerazione e avrebbe voluto farlo canonizzare. Poi deposero ed uccisero pure Riccardo Ii e attaccarono Lancaster e York che avevano altri interessi. Anche il gioco di parole latino ambiguo sull'uccisione sembra sia pari pari preso da una regina ungherese assassinata. Non riuscì a vincere gli scozzesi ma ottenne delle tregue dignitose e gestì bene il rapporto di vassallaggio per la Guascogna con la Francia, dopo di lui, iniziò la guerra dei cento anni.

[Annalisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The four star rating is actually an average, because I think this book is either 3 or 5 stars, depending on the type of reader you are.

If you are a historian or someone who loves historical detail, this is clearly a five star work. There is not a piece of evidence Phillips does not uncover and consider. He is remarkable thoughtful in his evaluation of various ambiguities--was Edward II a homosexual (or bisexual)? Was he murdered or did he die of natural causes? Was he terrible king or merely an unlucky one?. His understanding of the period in general and of the nuances of the English aristocracy in particular is absolutely amazing.

However, if you are a more casual reader, the sheer level of detail can be overwhelming and turn this book into something of a slog. Edward II ruled for 20 years and was alive for only 33; a 600+ page book can be overkill, with the interesting elements of Edward's reign buried under all the details.

I would absolutely recommend this book to the first group of readers; I would hesitate to recommend it to the second group unless they had a lot of spare time and/or a specific interest in Edward II.

[Kristina Church milashus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic look at the life and reign of Edward II. Mr. Phillip's research is obvious from the primary sources listed at the end of each chapter (and which make up a bulk of the book). This look at Edward II is very non-biased and relies on known facts. Mr. Phillips does add his thoughts and theories about certain events, but also balances this with commentary from other E2 historians with opposing viewpoints.

The text took a bit to get used to - the book is arranged chronologically and by event, so there is a slight jumping around. But this is a fabulous book for anyone interested in E2. I do wish it went a bit more into how Hugh Despenser the Younger gained so much influence over Edward and was able to take advantage of his position as a favorite, but this wasn't a book about Despenser.

Still leaves plenty of questions as to why E2 made some of the decisions that he made and how he died, but these may be things we never know for certain.

[Lauren Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid if dry biography of Edward II which attempts to reconsider some of the "common knowledge" about Edward and his reign. It is very much an academic biography--some pages are more than 1/2 taken up with footnotes.

[Sam Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent & accessible work that should be the definitive history/biography of the controversial King.

[Bubu]

£19 for the Kindle edition. I have to get over my shock somehow.