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Edward II
The 25th April 1284, was the date that the controversial King Edward II (aka Edward of Caernarfon) was born at Caernarfon Castle in North Wales. He was the 4th son of Edward I and his first wife Eleanor of Castille. His elder brothers John and Henry having died before he was born, Edward became heir to the throne at just four months old, when his one remaining brother Alphonso died in August of 1284. In 1290, Edward I set about planning to marry Edward to Margaret of Norway who had a claim to the throne of Scotland. Unfortunately she died that same year. The same year Edward’s mother died, followed…
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Geoffrey Chaucer
Chaucer was born sometime around 1340 or 1342, to a respected middle class family in the St Martin’s in the Vintry area of London. His grandfather John was involved in the wine trade, as was his father Robert. John had also been Deputy Butler to the King in 1348. Chaucer’s mother was Agnes de Copton who was a niece of an official at the Mint. It is generally believed that Chaucer received his early education at St Paul’s Almonry. When he was around 17 years of age Chaucer became a page in the household of the Elizabeth de Burgh, Countess of Ulster, the wife of Lionel of Antwerp, 3rd son…
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The Lollard Revolt
The English Reformation is a well-known period in history, when you think of it, you think of King Henry VIII. However, the basis for the English reformation actually originated hundreds of years before The Tudor monarch was even born. In the early 1320’s a man called John Wycliffe was born, he would grow up to be a churchman, theologian and writer. His beliefs and ideas would be the platform on which the later reformers would build their religion. He wanted to make religious teachings more accessible to all and even translated the Bible into English, which naturally the Catholic Church denounced as unauthorised. In 1401, translating a bible would be…
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Battle of Bannockburn
Following the death of Edward I in July 1307, to which the Scots openly rejoiced, King Robert the Bruce of Scotland continued on his campaign to rid Scotland of the English, and the supporters of his rival John Comyn, whom the Bruce had killed the year before. Edward II had taken up the reins of his father’s campaign to bring Scotland to submission. He was however unlike his father in matters of warfare and politics, and thanks largely in part to his insistence on rewarding his favourites with positions of power within court, and titled lands without, his senior nobles were rapidly losing patience with and slowly removing allegiance to…
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THE DEATH OF THE BLACK PRINCE
Edward was born on 15th June 1330 at Woodstock in Oxfordshire. He was the eldest son of Edward III and as such was held the title of The Prince of Wales. During his lifetime he was a key player in his father’s military campaigns in France. When he was just sixteen he was heralded for his involvement in the Battle of Crecy and the defeat of the French army. After being appointed his father’s lieutenant he led another victory against the French at Poitiers and took the French king prisoner. In 1362 Edward married Joan of Kent. There is a love story attached to their coming together in that another…
