The beginning of the end for Edward II.

In May, Edward in triumphant mode, presided over a parliament at York. This was indeed the high water mark of his reign.

‘Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!

Allow me to remind you who it is that actually rules ya!’

The seal of King Edward II.

Edward had never before known such a great triumph, nor would he ever do so again. To his immense satisfaction, parliament revoked the Ordinances of 1311 by passing the Statutes of York. In a mood of supreme self-confidence, Edward now turned his gaze northwards to Scotland.

‘Edward, now feeling proud of heart, never walked so tall!

But tis said that pride becomes before a fall!’

That summer of 1322, Edward marched into Scotland, resolved to avenge the humiliation of Bannockburn.  In order to do so, he had first to engage the army of Robert Bruce, however, the Scottish king declined to oblige. Bruce pulled his forces northwards and deployed a scorched earth strategy which deprived the English army of food.

‘Oh we, the valiant sons of Scotland the brave!

Will offer ye Sassanachs nothing more than an unmarked grave!’

With his soldiers weakened and dying of sickness and disease, Edward beat an ignominious retreat south of the border. Bruce, the shrewd military strategist that he was, pressed the advantage by pursuing his quarry, and defeated Edward’s army in Yorkshire that October.

Robert Bruce.

Both Edward and his queen Isabella, residing at different locations, narrowly escaped capture by the Scots. This was a huge defeat and humiliation, and had a profound effect on the English nation. The pain of defeat was compounded for Edward by the death of his illegitimate son, Adam who had accompanied his father on the Scottish campaign. The year of 1322 which had begun so promisingly had turned in to annus horribilis.

This was the beginning of the Despenser era. So besotted was Edward with the father and son duo, that he could refuse them nothing. Their presence had a drug like effect upon the king, so as to cast a spell upon him.

‘The Despensers, beloved by the king, were in the ascendency!

The country, and eventually Edward himself, would suffer because of his dreadful dependency!’

A later depiction of Hugh the younger.

This diabolical double act wrought havoc and England was considerably less than merry while they were at large. Young Hugh’s particular speciality was forcing rich widows into handing over their lands to his grasping hands on pain of torture. One recalcitrant widow who resisted his demands had her limbs broken, the agony of which drove the poor woman insane.

‘With England in their nefarious hold!

Opposition to the Despensers began to unfold!’

Roger Mortimer, a wealthy Marcher Lord and staunch enemy of the Despensers, had been incarcerated in the Tower of London in 1322 because he had supported Lancaster. However, in August 1323 he managed to escape by persuading the sub-lieutenant of the Tower to aid and abet his departure.

‘By spiking the guards feast day drink!

Resourceful Roger escaped from the clink!’

The feast day of the Tower chapel’s patron saint was August 1st, and the celebrations involved the consumption of a good deal of alcohol.

This year’s caskets of celebratory wine would contain an additional ingredient, a sleeping drug. With the guards soon happily comatose, Mortimer made good his escape, and made his way to Paris to request an audience with the newly crowned king, Charles IV.

Mortimer’s presence in Paris would have lethal consequences for Edward’s tenure as king of England. It was here in 1325 that he and Queen Isabella would begin a relationship which would bring about the end of Edward’s reign.