The return of Piers Gaveston!
During Gaveston’s absence, the king had acquired another unsavoury soulmate with whom to cavort, Hugh Despenser the younger. The nobility took a very dim view of Hugh Despenser’s elevation as royal favourite, because they regarded him as a Gaveston mark II. Edward appears to have had a constant need for a special male companion of rather low character.
The king’s main priority during the latter part of 1308 and the early months of 1309 was to engineer Gaveston’s return to England. To this end, Edward II spent a great deal of his time and energy.
‘Oh Piers, on your behalf I have contacted the Pope in Rome!
To lift the threat of excommunication and bring you safely home!’
In the spring of 1309, Pope Clement V at King Edward’s request nullified the order of excommunication hanging over Gaveston. Edward’s immense delight was matched only by Archbishop Winchelsey’s great anger.
Pope Clement V.
Edward had placated his father-in-law, King Philip IV of France by granting Isabella some of his land in France. The king had also been able to mollify parliament by promising to be more cooperative with them in future. In addition, Edward had to agree to the banishment of Despenser from his court. After all, having to tolerate two incorrigible prima donnas at court was simply too awful for any self-respecting earl to contemplate.
‘Dispense with the Despenser was the cry!
So to Hugh it was a time to say bye bye!’
All of this was enough to ensure that Gaveston’s stay in Ireland was to be a short one. Once he got the okay from Edward, Gaveston jumped on the first suitable vessel departing from Dun Laoghaire for England.
‘Oh farewell fair Dublin town!
I leave you now with a smile, not a frown!’
The prodigal favourite arrived back in July 1309 and was warmly welcomed by the king, who promptly reinstated him as earl of Cornwall. At a parliament that summer, Edward promised to curtail the powers of certain Crown officials and in return the barons agreed to the levying of taxes to pay for a war against the Scots. It would appear that despite their differences, the king and parliament had forged an acceptable working arrangement.
‘King Edward worked well with the nobles that summer season!
But had Piers Gaveston matured and begun to see reason?’
Had Gaveston learned his lesson? Not a bit of it. If anything he became even more obnoxious and confrontational than ever before. He compiled a number of nicknames for the senior members of the nobility. The Earl of Lincoln was called ‘Burst Belly’, ‘Thomas, Earl of Lancaster was dubbed ‘Rangy Pig’, and the Earl of Warwick, Guy Beauchamp was referred to as ‘Black Dog’.
Coat of arms of Guy Beauchamp, earl of Warwick.
Most insulting of all was Gaveston’s labelling of the perfectly amiable Earl of Gloucester as ‘Whoreson’. Never had the English nobility been treated with such disrespect, and all with the indifference or perhaps even the approval, of the king.
Edward appeared oblivious to the huge resentment that Gaveston was creating amongst the leading barons. An audience with the king could only be obtained with Gaveston’s permission. Piers Gaveston was beginning to behave as if he was the king’s guardian. Had the monarchy of a single king evolved into one of a dual nature?
December of 1309 of course brought forth the great feast of Christmas. King Edward loved a festive banquet with all of its accompanying entertainment.
‘My dear nobles please come to court to spend Christmas with myself and Piers!
Make merry at the royal palace fortified by venison, vintage wines and fine English beers!’
Predictably, many of the Lords and Ladies declined the invitation because they found the mere presence of Gaveston intolerable beyond measure.