Edward II.

Edward II., son of the preceding, was born at Carnarvon in Wales, 25th April 1284, and in 1301 was created Prince of Wales, being the first heir-apparent of the English throne who bore that title. In 1297 he was appointed regent in his father's absence, and as such signed the famous Confirmatio Cartarum. He accompanied his father on his various expeditions into Scotland, but was absent at his death in July 1307, and instead of carrying out his dying commands, returned to London to give himself to unworthy pleasures and the beloved companionship of his favourite the Gascon, Piers de Gaveston. A month later he created him Earl of Cornwall, and on his departure for France in the beginning of 1308 to marry Isabella, daughter of Philip IV., left him guardian of the kingdom. The indignant nobles demanded his banishment, and twice was the favourite forced to leave England, but as often was he recalled by the infatuated monarch, until at length they rose in arms, captured Gaveston, and executed him at Warwick in 1312. Two years later, Edward invaded Scotland at the head of an army of 100,000 men. At Bannockburn, on the 24th June 1314, he was defeated with immense slaughter by Bruce, whose heroism redeemed the dubious patriotism of his earlier years, secured his own crown, and the final independence of his kingdom. With the capture of Berwick in 1318, he had undone every trace of the conquest of Edward I. This great disaster in Scotland was followed by risings in Wales and Ireland, and two seasons of unexampled famine attended by still more fatal pestilence. From this time till 1322 the influence of Lancaster as the king's minister was supreme, but in that year, with the aid of his new favourites, Hugh le Despenser the elder, and his son, Hugh the younger, who had been already banished, but whom the king had recalled, Edward overthrew Lancaster, and put him to death. Immediately after, Edward invaded Scotland for the last time, but achieved no particular success, and in 1323 concluded a truce with that nation for thirteen years, and returned to England. A dispute now arose between him and Charles IV. of France, brother of his wife Isabella, in regard to the territories which he held in that country. Charles seized these, whereupon Edward sent over Isabella to remonstrate, and, if possible, to effect an amicable arrangement between them. Isabella already despised her husband, and hated the Despensors, and had contracted a guilty passion for Mortimer, one of the most unprincipled and powerful of the disaffected nobles. She now treacherously made common cause with many of the exiled nobles against her husband and the Despensors, and having obtained possession of the young Prince Edward, she embarked from Dort, in Holland, with a large body of malcontents, and landed on the coast of Suffolk on the 24th September 1326. Edward fled, but was taken prisoner in Glamorganshire. The Despensors, father and son, were executed, and the monarch himself compelled formally to resign the crown. His robust frame refusing to succumb to some months of the most inhuman treatment, he was murdered by a cruel death in Berkeley Castle, 21st September 1327.