Edward II

Paper Summary:

The paper explains that the reign of Edward I was characterized by military conquest, legislative progress and positive political achievement; however, this apparently secure political structure collapsed under Edward II and his reign ended with a revolution in which he was deposed. The author points out that a large part of Edward II's failure can be attributed to his inability to maintain the impetus of the war with Scotland that his father had begun. The paper relates that Edward II, as a king, failed to gain the respect of his people and his inability to lead them and inspire them meant that when he sent his emissaries to raise troops for him, they simply refused to obey.

From the Paper:

"Trouble began to erupt in 1308, at the time of Edward's marriage to Isabella of France. An important group of magnates signed an agreement that, while stressing their loyalty to the crown, stated the need to reform "things which have been done before this time contrary to his honour and the rights of his crown, and the oppressions which have been done and are still being done to his people." Historians believe that the wordage in this demand was deliberately vague and interpret it as referring to the question of Gaveston as well as administrative abuses. The king's coronation took place with a new clause in his oath that bound him to observe the laws and customs chosen by the "community of the realm." The clause was eventually used by the Earl of Lincoln in a demand to exile Gaveston."

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