Dr Helen Carr explores the extraordinary and chaotic reign of Edward II, a king with a reputation as a disastrous ruler. But how much of that is true?
Edward's accession as king of England in 1307 led almost immediately to conflict as he favoured close friends, and maybe lovers, like Piers Gaveston. Helen investigates the bond between Edward and Piers, their connection was incredibly close, possibly sexual. Edward’s giving of titles, attention and money to Gaveston alienated many of his traditional supporters amongst the nobility.
Helen also explores Edward's sometimes successful, sometimes deadly, marriage in 1308 to the 12-year-old Isabella of France and the birth of the future Edward III. She also looks at Edward's infamous death - how did the salacious tales of murder by red hot poker come about?
Helen Carr's latest book "Sceptred Isle: A New History of the Fourteenth Century" is out now.
If you're interested in finding out more about the places featured in the film, follow the links below:
Gloucester Cathedral: https://gloucestercathedral.org.uk/
Great St Barts: https://www.greatstbarts.com/
The National Archives: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
Kenilworth Castle: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/kenilworth-castle/
Berkeley Castle: https://www.berkeley-castle.com/
Up Next in Searching for Stories
-
The Auschwitz House
On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz Dan Snow and History Hit were given unique access to the house formerly home to the commandant of the concentration camp, Rudolf Höss.
Barely touched since the end of the second world war (and recently featured in the Oscar winning film The...
-
Hunt for the U-576
A team of maritime archaeologists descends 700 feet off the coast of North Carolina in search of the U-576, a German submarine that went down in a historic 1942 battle, possibly trapping 45 Nazi sailors inside.
-
Gladiators: History's Greatest Fighters
Gladiators, from Spartacus to Ridley Scott’s Maximus Decimus Meridius, we’ve been fascinated by them for hundreds of years. Dan Snow is on the hunt to find out why we’re still so obsessed with the men who controlled the Roman arena from the ground up!
Dan joins experts in Italy and England to in...
19 Comments