Which English King was deposed by his personal spouse and brutally executed for holding a male lover?
On the latest instalment of the Daily Mail’s Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things podcast, Robert Hardman and Kate Williams try to separate fact from fiction in the tragic reign of Edward II, a medieval monarch stripped of his crown because of rumoured affections for a male courtier.
Edward, England’s first ever Prince of Wales, became King in 1307 after the sudden death of his father while commanding armies in Scotland.
One of his first acts as the new King of England was to welcome back to court a handsome young knight called Piers Gaveston.
Gaveston had been exiled to France by Edward I after several influential barons had grown concerned about his closeness to the heir to the throne.
Edward and Gaveston had grown up together after being introduced when both were 15 years old. Gaveston was brought to court to be a positive influence on the meek Edward, as the knight was already known for his athleticism and prowess in war.
On the latest instalment of the Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things podcast, Robert Hardman and Kate Williams try to separate fact from fiction in the tragic reign of Edward II
When Edward brought his friend back to England, he awarded him an earldom and controversially married the courtier to his niece. Gaveston’s sudden riches and influence angered not only the men who had overseen his first exile, but also Edward’s new queen, Isabella of France.
Isabella was the daughter of Philip IV, King of France and one of the most powerful figures in Western Europe at the time. She asked her father to pressure Edward into getting rid of Gaveston.
This began a five-year battle of wills, with Edward repeatedly forced to exile his favourite, only to bring him back months later each time.
Tensions came to a head when the barons took matters into their own hands. Upon Gaveston’s return to England from his third exile, he was quickly captured and executed by a group of nobles on trumped up charges of treason.
Gaveston’s death paved the way for Edward’s own downfall. Seeking revenge, he turned on his barons and queen, who eventually rose up and deposed him.
Edward is notorious for the gruesome legend that surrounds his execution: supposedly dying after having a red hot poker thrust into his rectum.
On the podcast, historian Kate Williams reveals the poker story is likely a myth rooted in homophobia, invented to punish Edward for his rumored relationship with Gaveston.
Did Edward II really suffer history’s ‘grisliest death’?
After a slew of military defeats and political scandals, Isabella teamed up with a powerful earl, Roger Mortimer, to depose Edward.
With little resistance, Edward was defeated and imprisoned at Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire. It was here, in September 1327, that the King’s notorious death was rumoured to have taken place.
‘We had done a lot of awful deaths on our podcast, but I think death by hot poker is the one I would like the least’, Williams said.
Gaveston’s death paved the way for Edward’s own downfall. Seeking revenge, he turned on his barons and queen, who eventually rose up and deposed him
On the podcast, historian Kate Williams reveals the poker story is likely a myth rooted in homophobia, invented to punish Edward for his rumored relationship with Gaveston
‘The story started to circulate from chroniclers as early as the 14th century. It became popularised in Christopher Marlowe’s play, Edward II.
‘This is a play in which there is, what we might call now, homophobic attitudes towards the King and Gaveston.
‘Marlowe was trying to say that with this gruesome death – the shocking state of a King having a gay relationship is totally purged. That heterosexuality’s greatness has been restored.
‘The poker story melts away when you look at the evidence.’
Most modern historians dismiss the poker story as medieval propaganda, questioning why his captors would use such an easily detectable method.
The tale only emerged after 1330, likely spread to blacken Roger Mortimer’s name after he had ruled as regent.
To hear the full ‘love story’ between King Edward II and Piers Gaveston, search for Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things now, wherever you get your podcasts.
