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Edward II

The Unconventional King

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About this listen

He is one of the most reviled English kings in history. He drove his kingdom to the brink of civil war a dozen times in less than twenty years. He allowed his male lovers to rule the kingdom. He led a great army to the most ignominious military defeat in English history. His wife took a lover and invaded his kingdom, and he ended his reign wandering around Wales with a handful of followers, pursued by an army. He was the first king of England forced to abdicate his throne. Popular legend has it that he died screaming impaled on a red-hot poker, but in fact the time and place of his death are shrouded in mystery. His life reads like an Elizabethan tragedy, full of passionate doomed love, bloody revenge, jealousy, hatred, vindictiveness, and obsession. He was Edward II, and this book tells his story. Using almost exclusively fourteenth-century sources and Edward's own letters and speeches wherever possible, Kathryn Warner strips away the myths which have been created about him over the centuries, and provides a far more accurate and vivid picture of him than has previously been seen.

©2014 Kathryn Warner (P)2023 Tantor Europe Great Britain Historical Politics & Activism Royalty England Tudor War
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I have a hard copy of this book but enjoyed having it read to me. The author is an expert on Edward II and her deep research into his life and reign ensure this book is both educational and an interesting read. Many incorrect myths about the King are dealt with, hopefully helping to stamp them out. An enjoyable listen.

Well Reseached and Interesting

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I started this book knowing very little about Edward II beyond the fact of his deposition, and what led to this. This book really opened my eyes to the evidence supporting facts that contradict the story accepted by others, and came away with a much more balanced view of the deposed king.

An eye opening look at Edward II

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narrator was excellent and the book is well researched and set out. It covers a fascinating time in England's history with the story of its first deposed king.

Great insight into Edward the second

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I found this refreshingly unbiased. I like that it didn't just trot out all the usual rehashing of old untounded stories. However, I am not a fan of the way it flashed backwards and forwards instead of sticking to the timeline. The interesting addition of some of the more mundane items of expenditure by Edward were amusing, but eventually became irksome and boring lists that went o for way to long.
Overall, I'm glad I read it, but it is nowhere near as well written and interesting as Ian Mortimer's book on Edward III and Alison Weir's on Izabella, which both cover a similar period.

Unbiased

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Inconsistent. Spends 16 chapters debunking Braveheart and Marlowe, then throws in a dramatic (and entirely fictitious) twist ending.

Ian Mortimer fangirl alert

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