JEAN PICHORE - ROGER MORTIMER AND QUEEN ISABELLA

Jean Pichore, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Caernarfon Castle in Wales

Isabella of France

Queen of England

- Isabella was born in Paris about 1295 or 1296.
- She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving daughter of King Philip IV (1268-1314) of France and House of Capet and Jeanne I (1273-1305) of Navarre.

King Philip IV

Philip IV of France was very Fair

- Philip IV who was called Philip the Fair (French: Philippe le Bel), was King of France from 1285 to 1314.
- By virtue of his marriage with Joan I of Navarre, he was also King of Navarre and Count of Champagne as Philip I from 1284 to 1305.
- Although Philip was known to be handsome, hence the epithet le Bel, his rigid, autocratic, imposing, and inflexible personality gained him (from friend and foe alike) other nicknames, such as the Iron King (French: le Roi de fer).
- His fierce opponent Bernard Saisset, bishop of Pamiers, said of him: "He is neither man nor beast, he is a statue" but doesn't that sound like something an enemy would say?
- Except he was none of those things, he was very kind and loved his countrymen and wanted to help them and he loved Isabella very much, she was his only daughter.

 

Royalty

- Isabella's brother, King Louis X (1289-1316) took the throne in 1314 but he died in 1316.
- Louis was succeeded by his brother, Philip V (1291-1322) who died in 1322.
- Philip V was succeeded by his brother Charles IV (1294-1328) who took the throne in 1322 and died in 1328.
- Isabella who was Queen of England was the wife of King Edward II, and de facto regent of England from 1327 until 1330.
- You have to understand that everything that was written about these monarchs is not true, especially the negative, because the winners wrote the history, only now they're being revealed (as well as the real history).

Philip built up centralized royal power in France, engaging in a sequence of conflicts to expand or consolidate French authority across the region, but remained chronically short of money throughout his reign. Indeed, he appeared almost obsessed about building up wealth and lands, something that his daughter was also accused of in later life. Isabella's mother died when Isabella was still quite young; some contemporaries suspected Philip IV of her murder, albeit probably incorrectly. (Wikipedia)

She-Wolf of France

- Isabella was notable in her lifetime for her diplomatic skills, intelligence, and beauty.
- She overthrew her husband, and took on a 'femme fatale' role in plays and literature over the years.
- Isabella was usually portrayed as a beautiful but cruel and manipulative figure.
- But once you understand what the royal court she married into was all about (the barons all hated her), then you understand why they called her names.

At the time of her marriage, Isabella was probably about twelve and was described by Geoffrey of Paris as "the beauty of beauties... in the kingdom if not in all Europe." (Wikipedia)

Edward I as Donald Trump

Edward I 1239–1307 6/17   7/7 monarch	Donald John Trump 1946  6/14
Longshanks

- Edward I (1239-1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307.
- Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 1254 to 1306 ruled Gascony as Duke of Aquitaine in his capacity as a vassal of the French king.
- Edward was born at the Palace of Westminster, to King Henry III and Eleanor of Provence.
- Before his accession to the throne, he was commonly referred to as the Lord Edward.
- Edward's temperamental nature and height (6 ft 2 in, 188 cm) made him an intimidating figure.

Eleanor of Castile

- Edward I was married twice, first to Eleanor of Castile  (m. 1254; died 1290) and then to​ Margaret of France ​(m. 1299).
- Edward spent much of his reign reforming royal administration and common law.
- He was a real power monger and used law to steal personal property from his subjects.

Edward I may have been a tough ruler, but he had a tender side too. In 1290, his wife, Eleanor of Castile, died near Lincoln. He said, "In life I loved her dearly, nor can I cease to love her in death." (Assistant)

 

Hugh Despenser the Elder

- Hugh le Despenser (1 March 1261 – 27 October 1326), referred to as 'the Elder Despenser,' served Edward I on numerous occasions both in battle and as a diplomat, and was created a baron by writ of summons to Parliament in 1295.
- Hugh the Elder was loyal to his son and the King, which worried the barons in the Lancastrian court because they believed he had too much power, but until that time, the highest office he had held was justice of the forests.
- Although Edward I used law to confiscate his subjects property and it was during his reign that the food forests, which were a primary source of nutrition for the citizens, were taken over by the nobles and government.
 

England joined to Wales

- Edward I had been successful in subjugating Wales and joining it with England.
- In 1301, at the age of 16, his son, Edward II of Caernarfon became the first English prince to hold the title of Prince of Wales.

Though I be but prince of Wales, yet I am the king of courtesy. (Shakespeare)

Family tree

- Edward I died on July 7, 1307, and his 23-year-old son succeeded his father as King Edward II.

The young king was a very different man to his formidable father and had little capacity to fill the role he had been born into. His reign of just under twenty years would prove extraordinarily dramatic and turbulent. (Kathryn Warner)

Edward II

- Edward II (1284–1327) was King of England from 1307 until he was forced to step down in January 1327.
- He was also known as Edward of Caernarfon or Caernarvon and he was the 4th son of Edward I, and he became the heir to the throne following the death of his older brother Alphonso.
- Beginning in 1300, Edward accompanied his father on campaigns in Scotland, and in 1306 he was knighted in a grand ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
- Edward succeeded to the throne the next year, following his father's death.

House of envy

- Although the Despenser the Elder's reputation was not as unsavoury as his son's, he was accused by a significant number of people of widespread criminality during the next few years, often involving accusations of trespass or theft and the extortion of money or land.
- The Elder was not very well liked by the Lancastrian barons and because of their resentment, and, more importantly, his own corruption and unjust behavior led to his being exiled in 1321.
- After his death, his corrupt son, Hugh Despenser the Younger, became a favorite of Edward II, who unfortunately, seemed blind to the Despenser's manipulative actions.

Baby blanket

- Pope Boniface VIII had urged the arranged marriage as early as 1298, when Isabella was age 2, but it was delayed by wrangling over the terms of the marriage contract.
- The renewal of the Anglo-French truce in 1299 led to the marriage of her future father-in-law, Edward I to her father, King Philip IVs sister who was named Margaret.

Margaret of France Queen of England

- Margaret of France (c. 1279 – 14 February 1318) was the 2nd wife of King Edward I of England.
- They married on September 8, 1299, sealing a peace treaty between England and France.
- Despite a large age gap of roughly 40 years, and the fact that Edward I was such a power hungry tyrant, they had a happy marriage and 3 children.
- Most likely because Edward I was never around and she had such a beautiful family.
- Upon Margaret's marriage there was further anticipation of the marriage of Isabella to Edward II, although she was a mere babe when the plans began.

Edward I may have considered a Castilian bride for Edward II instead of Isabella and even increased her dowry before the wedding. Edward I attempted to break the engagement several times for political advantage, and only after he died in 1307 did the wedding proceed. (Wikipedia)

Wedding day

- Isabella and Edward II were married at Boulogne-sur-Mer on January 25, 1308.
- She was age 12 and he was 24.
- Together, they had 4 beautiful children including their eldest son, King Edward III (1313-1377).
- But poor Isabella was unhappy from the start because she knew Edward I (his father) was so power hungry and because Edward II was so much older and it was an arranged marriage, although he loved her from the very beginning.
- Edward IIs enemies, who detested his father, hated Edward as well and started many vicious rumors about him that were not true.
- This was another reason Isabella was so unhappy, she was told he had many male lovers but none of this was true at all and this caused poor Edward II much discontent because he loved Isabella dearly.
- You can see the lies that were written about him throughout the modern history we've been taught, however, the 'winners' reversed everything when they wrote history.

Edward was handsome, but also possibly formed close romantic attachments first to Piers Gaveston and then to Hugh Despenser the Younger. Edward found himself at odds with the barons, too, in particular his first cousin Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, whilst continuing the war against the Scots that he had inherited from Edward I. (Wikipedia)

Piers Gaveston

- Isabella soon discovered that her new husband was notorious for the patronage he lavished on his favorite, Piers Gaveston (1284-1312), 1st Earl of Cornwall.
- But despite all, the queen supported Edward II during these early years.
- Any stories about a romantic affair between Edward and Gaveston were lies, in fact, Gaveston was married.
- Edward admired Gaveston for his military prowress, and because Gaveston wanted the same outcome, to unite the British Isles, he was working for the crown, not against it .

Edward had a close and controversial relationship with Piers Gaveston, who had joined his household in 1300. The precise nature of Edward and Gaveston's relationship is uncertain; they may have been friends, lovers, or sworn brothers. Gaveston's arrogance and power as Edward's favorite provoked discontent both among the barons and the French royal family, and Edward was forced to exile him. (Wikipedia)

Loyset Liédet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Isabella riding to meet her brother, Charles IV, in 1325. 15th-century illustration from Froissart's Chronicles

- Edward II chose to sit with Gaveston rather than Isabella at their wedding celebration, causing serious offense to her uncles Louis, Count of Évreux, and Charles, Count of Valois.
- According to the history books, he then refused to grant her either her own lands or her own household.
- But none of this is true and Edward II was very generous and loving to Isabella and she never complained about any of this.
- Supposedly Edward once again ignored Isabella during his coronation feast, he lavished gifts upon his supposed 'lover,' not on Isabella, and everybody noticed.
- Except none of this is true, he distinguished Gaveston as his top military man during the celebration, but never awarded him any gifts and on top of that, Gaveston was the best man during the wedding ceremony.

Piers Gaveston was an "arrogant, ostentatious" soldier, with a "reckless and headstrong" personality that appealed to Edward. Isabella, then aged twelve, was effectively sidelined by the pair. (Wikipedia)

Jewels

- Edward II supposedly also gave Gaveston Isabella's own jewelry, which he wore publicly, and none of this is true either.
- Isabella complained to her relatives, especially her father, King Philip IV of France, because she listened to all the false rumors.
- Isabella complained to her father that Gaveston took her place next to Edward II, she received insufficient funds and Edward visited Gaveston's bed more than hers.
- It was not a happy court, but it was all caused by the rumors and lies that certain individuals wrongly spread around.

Isabella's relationship with Gaveston was complex. For a time, her dislike of him was widely known, and she was said to be in contact with her father, the pope and cardinals in order to have him exiled. (Wikipedia)

Earl of Lancaster

- Tensions between Edward II and the barons remained high due to their dislike of Piers Gaveston.
- The barons disliked Edward II because they disliked his father so much.
- Unlike his father, Edward II was not trying to subjugate other nations for power, he wanted to unite the multiple small nations in the British isles so that France wouldn't take them over.

Exiled from England

- Isabella's father, King Philip IV of France, was irate when he heard how badly Edward II was treating his daughter.
- Although we know now that none of it was true, plus, Philip didn't have any plans to overtake the British Isles but he wanted to join forces with them instead to prevent any larger nations from coming against France and England.
- Unfortunately, after Isabella passed all the false rumors and lies along to him, Philip secretly funded the barons to go after Edward and Philip and he was also influencing matters in the English Parliament.
- Additionally, the earls opposed to the king kept their personal armies mobilized late into 1311.
- However, the barons wrongly went against Edward II because of his father's track record when in truth, they should have supported him.

The sight of London to my exiled eyes Is as Elysium to a new-come soul. (Christopher Marlowe, Edward II)

Exiled from court

- Isabella had begun to build up her own supporters at court, principally the Beaumont family, itself opposed to the Lancastrians.
- In early 14th-century England, the House of Beaumont, led notably by Henry de Beaumont and his brother Louis de Beaumont, fiercely opposed Thomas, Earl of Lancaster and the baronial Lancastrian faction during the reign of King Edward II.
- Lancastrians primarily refers to the members and supporters of the House of Lancaster, a royal house of England that ruled from 1399 to 1461, and their faction during the 15th-century civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses.
- The primary leader of the baronial opposition against King Edward II was Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, head of the House of Lancaster.
- However, the rebellious coalition, historically called the Contrariants, included many other noble families and regional factions beyond just the Lancastrians.
- In 1311, Edward conducted a failed campaign against the Scots, during which he and Isabella barely escaped capture.

By now Edward had become estranged from his cousin, the Earl of Lancaster, who was also the Earl of Leicester, Lincoln, Salisbury and Derby, with an income of around £11,000 a year from his lands, almost double that of the next wealthiest baron. (Wikipedia)

York in January

- In the aftermath, the barons rose up, signing the Ordinances of 1311, which promised action against Gaveston and expelled Isabella and Henry de Beaumont from court.
- Edward was forced to exile Gaveston to Ireland for a period and began to show Isabella much greater respect, supposedly assigning her lands and patronage that it was rumored he had denied, however, he had already done this when they first married.
- Edward responded to the barons and earls by revoking the Ordinances and inviting Gaveston back to England after a year apart.
- This enraged the barons even more.
- The two were reunited at York in January 1312, just as England fully descended into civil war.

Charismatic

- Displeased that Gaveston had returned to the 'family,' Isabella decided to change tactics and work with him.
- Isabella was very charismatic and capable of getting people to do what she wanted.
- She formed a working relationship with Gaveston and used her association with the French monarchy, her father, to bolster her own authority and power.
- Using her own supporters at court and the patronage of her French family, Isabella attempted to find a political path through these challenges.

Happier home?

- Where Isabella once pitted herself against Gaveston she now became his ally which was a smart move because it worked to unite the royal household, but only for a short time.
- The barons, still unhappy, rose up again but this time not only against Gaveston, but his new ally, Isabella.
- They briefly expelled her from her own court and with all this going on, her realm was in a full-blown civil war by late 1312.

Surrounded the castle

- Isabella sided with Edward II as he fought the barons, as did Gaveston, but that summer the king's favorite met with a brutal end.
- Edward left Isabella against her will in Northumberland while he unsuccessfully attempted to fight the barons.
- The campaign was a disaster, and although Edward escaped, Gaveston found himself stranded at Scarborough Castle where his baronial enemies then surrounded and captured him.
- Guy de Beauchamp and Thomas of Lancaster ensured Gaveston's execution in 1312.
- Piers Gaveston was wrongly executed on June 19, 1312, after being captured, condemned for treason, and beheaded at Blacklow Hill by rival English barons.
- Isabella was only 16 or 17 years old when all this happened.

Led by Edward's cousin Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, a group of the barons seized and executed Gaveston in 1312, beginning several years of armed confrontation. English forces were pushed back in Scotland, where Edward was decisively defeated by Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Widespread famine followed, and criticism of the King's reign mounted. (Wikipedia)

Calmer

- That same year, Isabella, 17, who was pregnant with her first child, gave birth to Edward III and this helped calm her and she found her place as queen, but it didn't settle her tensions in her court.
- Over the next few years, England began falling apart, which is easy to understand when you see how the barons were wrongly working against their own throne

For never doted Jove on Ganymede So much as he on cursed Gaveston. (Christopher Marlowe, Edward II)

Rallying up the troops

- Edward II attempted to take revenge on the barons, resulting in the Despenser War and a period of internal repression across England.
- This began a series of armed confrontations with Scotland and he suffered humiliation and a series of defeats by the Scottish.
- Edward II was defeated by Robert the Bruce of Scotland in 1314.

Homefront

- Thomas of Lancaster reacted to the defeats in Scotland by taking increased power in England and turning against Isabella, cutting off funds and harassing her household.
- Isabella was only 19 years old when all this happened.
- To make matters worse, by 1315-17, a great famine descended on the country causing widespread loss of life, as well as financial upheaval.

I see your love to Gaveston will be the ruin of the realm and you. (Shakespeare, Edward II)

Barons surround the castle

- After Gaveston's death Isabella was also left in a precarious position with the barons.
- They removed Isabella's funds and tried to control her household to gain greater power, a coup d'etat type situation.
- Isabella had always been involved in the politics of the court, however, she started to believe that if her husband couldn't rule properly maybe she could.
- By this time, Isabella was in between a rock and a hard place knowing that the barons were working against her, and believing all the lies about Edward.
- When really, it was the barons who were in the wrong.

The Scottish general Sir James Douglas, war leader for Robert I of Scotland, made a bid to capture Isabella personally in 1319. He almost succeeded in capturing her at York, with Isabella only just barely escaping. (Wikipedia)

Government

- Isabella responded by deepening her alliance with Lancaster's enemy, Henry de Beaumont, and by taking up an increased role in government.
- She began attending Council meetings and acquiring more land for herself.
- In 1320, Isabella accompanied Edward to France to try and convince her brother, Philip V, to provide fresh support to crush the English barons.
- Which is something that needed to be done, only it didn't go down in history that way, she was made out as some kind of cruel 'She-Wolf.'

Hugh Despenser the Younger

- After the death of Gaveston at the hands of the barons, Edward II turned to a new favorite, Hugh Despenser the Younger.
- Despenser rose to national prominence as royal chamberlain and a favorite of Edward II of England.
- Only, unknown to Edward, he was a snake in the grass and wanted to oust Edward and take over his throne.

A royal chamberlain is a senior official in a royal household, historically managing household finances and domestic functions, and today, primarily responsible for ceremonial duties, protocol, and acting as a channel of communication between the monarch and their court or government. (Assistant)

Hugh Despenser the Younger

- The Despenser family, in particular Hugh Despenser the Younger, became close friends and advisers to Edward  II and he was totally controlled by them.
- Recently named the ‘greatest villain’ of the 14th-century, Hugh Despenser the Younger, was a pirate and extortionist, and had become the richest and most powerful man in England in the early 1300s.

Hugh manuscript

Hugh Despenser the Younger as Elon Musk

Hugh Despenser the Younger 1287/9–1326 ?    11/24 Wanna be monarch	Elon Reeve Musk 1971 6/28
Wanted to be king

- Hugh Despenser the Younger was a nobleman, born in the late 1280s; he was one of two sons and the eldest of 4 children.
- His parents were Hugh Despenser the Elder (1261-1326), 1st Elder of Winchester, and Isabel de Beauchamp.
- William Beauchamp, who was Earl of Warwick, and Maud Fitzjohn were his maternal grandparents.
- His paternal grandmother was Aline Basset who was Countess of Norfolk and his grandfather Hugh Despenser was Justiciar of England.
- Hugh had this painting done because he wanted to be king.

1st Elder of Winchester with son Hugh

- Hugh the Younger’s father, Hugh the Elder, displayed undying loyalty to King Edward I and his son Edward II for 4 decades.
- Combined with his talents as a diplomat and royal counsellor he raised his son up high in the royal ranks.

Hugh Despenser the Elder

- This may have looked like a good thing on the surface, at least for Edward II, but it was one of the most dangerous things he could have done.
- Which is the reason all the barons detested Hugh the Younger and they had already suffered through the family's manipulation of Edward I.

Seizing the Despenser land

- In 1321 Edward's cousin Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, and a group of the barons, seized the Despensers' lands and forced King Edward II to exile them.
- At the beginning of the Despenser War in 1321, Edward mobilized his own faction and placed Leeds Castle under siege, Isabella was given the Great Seal and assumed control of the royal Chancery from the Tower of London.
- Her youngest daughter Joan, was born in the Tower of London in July 1321, when Isabella was about 25.
- It doesn't sound like the mutiny began with Isabella, although she was blamed.

Trapped

- Unfortunately for Isabella, she was still estranged from Lancaster's rival faction, giving her little room to maneuver.
- Lancaster's alliance moved against the Despensers, sending troops into London and demanding their exile.

Isabella publicly went down on her knees to appeal to Edward to exile the Despensers, providing him with a face-saving excuse to do so, but Edward intended to arrange their return at the first opportunity. Isabella's attempts, though heavily praised by the English, had very little impact and she had no lasting effect as a mediator for foreign or domestic affairs. (Wikipedia)

 

AlexD, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Marcher Lords territory

- Edward II found himself at odds with the barons, in particular his first cousin Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, in the continuing war against the Scots that he had inherited from Edward I.
- The Despensers were bitter enemies of Lancaster, and, with Edward's support, began to increase their power base in the Welsh Marches, in the process making enemies of Roger Mortimer de Chirk and his nephew, Roger Mortimer of Wigmore, their rival Marcher Lords.

 

A marcher lord was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales. (Assistant)

Chirk Caqstle 1295

- Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Mortimer of Chirk (c.1256-1326) was a 14th-century Marcher lord, the third son of Roger Mortimer, a powerful Marcher lord in the Welsh border territories.
- The family were from the second rank of parvenu nobility elevated by the king as a reward for fierce loyalty to the Plantagenet dynasty.
- In 1282, the ruling princes of Gwynedd attacked lands granted to King Edward II under the treaty of Aberconwy.
- Consequently, the Welsh wars broke out, and Mortimer, a professional soldier, was a Captain in the victorious royal army.
- He was said to be a lecherous and violent man and was notable for his opposition to Edward II of England during the Despenser War.
- He was the uncle of Roger Mortimer of Wigmore who was even more devious.

Roger Mortimer of Wigmore as Elon Musk

Roger Mortimer 1287-1330 4/25    11/29 1st Earl of March	Elon Reeve Musk 1971 6/28
King of Folly

- Roger Mortimer, 3rd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore, 1st Earl of March (1287-1330), was an English nobleman and powerful marcher lord who gained many estates in the Welsh Marches and Ireland following his advantageous marriage to the wealthy heiress Joan de Geneville, 2nd Baroness Geneville.
- Initially there was loyalty and Mortimer served Edward II, fighting in Ireland, but turned against the king due to the unchecked power of the Despenser family.
- Except the real story is that both Hugh Despenser the Younger and Roger Mortimer ended up on the wrong side of Edward II and both wanted to overthrow him.
- Although neither wanted to overthrow England, they just wanted to take his place as king and attain his power.
- So they both ended up working against not only Edward, but each other as well, while the Lancastrians hated both of them.

Roger Mortimer Not any kind of prince in shining armor

- Roger Mortimer, like many noble children of his time, was betrothed at a young age, to Joan de Geneville (1286-), 2nd Baroness Geneville, the daughter of Sir Peter de Geneville, of Trim Castle and Ludlow.
- Mortimer was married in 1301 when he was aged 14 and their first child was born in 1302.
- They had 12 children together he didn't join forces with Isabella because he wanted a romantic relationship.
- Only Edward II was still supportive of the manipulative Despenser family.

Surrender

- Soon after, in January 1322, Edward's army, reinforced by the Despensers who had returned from exile, had forced the surrender of the Mortimer family.
- In March 1322, Lancaster himself had been captured after the Battle of Boroughbridge.
- Lancaster was promptly executed, leaving Edward and the Despensers victorious.
- Edward II was totally controlled at this point by the Despensers, as his father had been, and he took a backseat to what they were doing.
- But unfortunately, everything went down in history books under his name and he was not even aware of much of what was going on.

Hugh Despenser the Younger was now firmly ensconced as Edward's new favorite and together over the next four years Edward and the Despensers imposed a harsh rule over England, a "sweeping revenge" characterized by land confiscation, large-scale imprisonment, executions and the punishment of extended family members, including women and the elderly. (Wikipedia)

English Heather

- Some of the women that the Despensers persecuted and stole land from were Isabella's friends.
- Isabella's relationship with Despenser the Younger continued to deteriorate; the Despensers refused to pay her monies owed to her, or return her castles at Marlborough and Devizes.
- There is some evidence that Despenser the Younger attempted to assault Isabella in some manner.
- After that occurred, the Despensers who were controlling the purse strings began to be markedly less generous in gifts to Isabella, and none of the spoils of the war were awarded to her.
- Edward, however, was still working hard to involve her in everything, despite the Despensers feelings toward her.
- He had taken Isabella along with him to all the battles and given her 'jobs' to do that involved diplomatic roles in whatever actions he was taking.

After surrendering to Edward's forces on 31 October 1321, Margaret, Baroness Badlesmere, Kent and her children were sent to the Tower, and 13 of the Leeds garrison were hanged. (Wikipedia)

Royal thistle

- By this time Isabella felt so antagonized and cut off from her husband and his men, even worse the Scottish troops began pursuing her.
- With the Scottish army marching south, Isabella expressed considerable concern about her personal safety and requested assistance from Edward.
- At the Despensers advice, Edward considered sending Despenser forces to secure her, but Isabella rejected this outright, instead requesting friendly troops.

Cut off

- Retreating south with the Despensers, Edward failed to grasp the situation, resulting in Isabella finding herself and her household cut off from the south by the Scottish army.
- She was left in a very vulnerable position and the troops killed two of her ladies-in-waiting while they were boarding a ship some of her knights had commandeered.

Edward's rumored winding road

- Isabella was furious both with Edward for abandoning her to the Scots, and with Despensers for convincing Edward to retreat rather than sending help.
- She fled from her home to safety but she was furious at Edward and his 'pet' and she let him know.
- Isabella effectively separated from Edward from here onwards, leaving him to live with Hugh Despenser, except she had the story all wrong because he didn't have a romantic relationship with Despenser either.
- At that point, Isabella sent a letter pleading for help from her father only she didn't understand anything that was really going on.
- Edward wanted to secure Scotland to strengthen the British Isles and he loved Isabella, not Despenser, but by this point he was distraught because Isabella didn't love him.

"I feel that marriage is a union of a man and a woman, holding fast to the practice of a life together, and that someone has come between my husband and myself and is trying to break this bond; I declare that I will not return until this intruder is removed, but, discarding my marriage garment, shall put on the robes of widowhood and mourning until I am avenged of this Pharisee." (Isabella of France)

Edward

- Sickened by the sight of Edward II, at the end of 1322, Isabella left the court on a ten-month-long pilgrimage around England by herself.
- To make matters worse, problems arose with her native France because they fell under the belief that the English army under Edward's command wanted to take France over.
- This was because Hugh the Despenser had been threatening France, unknown to Edward, but he had no desire to overtake them.
- Isabella grew fearful of her connections in France in the midst of her husband's tense political landscape.
- She had no clue why her family was so 'testy' at that point.
- On her return in 1323, she visited Edward briefly, but was removed from the process of granting royal patronage.

We are deprived the sunshine of our life. (Christopher Marlowe, Edward II)

Despenser family member

- At the end of 1324, the Despenser family snatched Isabella's lands, overtook her household, and put her French staff behind bars.
- They also took her younger children away from her and put them in the care of the Despenser family.
- Such a travesty, and Edward still had no clue that Hugh was working against him but Hugh was going full throttle as a traitor to the crown by then.

At this point, Isabella appeared to have realized that any hope of working with Edward was effectively over and begun to consider radical solutions. (Wikipedia)

Barons at war

- Isabella could not tolerate Hugh Despenser, despite trying to forge an agreeable relationship and by 1325, her marriage to Edward was at a breaking point.
- Isabella was 30 years old when all this took place and Edward was 42 and the age difference was no longer so drastic.
- However, his new working relationship with Despenser caused an uproar among the barons and they picked up the same battle they had just finished with Piers Gaveston.
- Only they were still in the wrong because it was all fueled by lies and rumors.
- Edward II and Isabella found themselves once again in the thick of battling with Scotland.

French royal possessions

- After much bickering between France and England, Isabella's brother, King Charles IV of France, seized all of King Edward IIs possessions in France in 1325.
- In response, Edward planned a trip for Isabella to her home country in an attempt to broker some kind of peace treaty and he was totally appalled at what was going on
- Many English nobles viewed this as a sign that England's power was fracturing.
- However, Isabella's presence in France became a focal point for the many nobles opposed to Edward's reign.
- They didn't know the half of it because while Isabella was trying to smooth over both French and English egos, she was doing something else entirely in the French court.

Edward II sent Isabella to France in March 1325 to negotiate a peace settlement on his behalf, the queen might have believed that Edward still relied on her and needed her, despite Hugh Despenser's prominent presence in his life. (edwardthesecond.blogspot.com)

Queen Isabella diplomatic mission

Aquitaine

Mortimer the rebel

Criminal gangs

- Edward was still unwilling to travel to France where he needed to pay homage for lands the French kings had awarded him.
- This was due to precarious conditions as criminal gangs were occupying most of England and there had been an assassination plot against Edward and Hugh Despenser in 1324.
- Plus the fact, that some of the land had already been removed from him.
- There was a plan in the works by the famous magician John of Nottingham who was hired to kill both Edward and Hugh using necromancy.
- It wasn't only herself that Isabella was asking Edward to choose over Hugh, she had their elder son, Edward of Windsor, with her in France.
- Edward II demonstrated over the next few months that keeping Hugh close to him, and defending him against any and all accusations, was his number one priority.

Indeed, the fact that Hugh Despenser the Younger now had so much power that he could persuade the king of England not to meet the king of France might well have shocked Isabella profoundly, however much she had grown used to Hugh's political dominance over the previous few years. (edwardthesecond.blogspot.com)

Isabella negotiates a peace treaty

- Opposition to Edward IIs regime grew, and when Isabella was sent to France to negotiate a peace treaty in 1325, she turned against Edward and refused to return citing that she feared for her life.
- She thought the Despensers would kill her or that even Edward himself would.
- Well she was correct about the Despensers, but wrong about Edward.
- Edward began to send urgent messages to the Pope and to Charles IV, expressing his concern about his wife's absence, but to no avail.
- Emissaries sent by Edward reported that Isabella was dressed as a widow, claiming that Hugh Despenser had destroyed her marriage with Edward, which he had, but not entirely for the reasons that she believed.
 

Isabella surrounded herself with mostly exiles, including Edmund of Kent, John of Brittany, Earl of Richmond, and her rumored lover Roger Mortimer. (Wikipedia)

France

- Roger Mortimer and Queen Isabella of France were deeply involved in a controversial relationship that led to the deposition and likely murder of Isabella's husband, King Edward II.
- Or so the rumors said, but it was Mortimer who killed Edward, not Isabella, although she had no clue what Mortimer was really up to.
- He was busy taking over Edward's throne, unfortunately, with Isabella's misguided help.

Isabella of France was highly intelligent, competent and a canny politician, not to mention the crowned and anointed queen of England, not some teenager making up a story to her parents because she wanted to sneak out with her boyfriend. (edwardthesecond.blogspot.com)

Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer

- Mortimer, a powerful nobleman, became Isabella's rumored lover while she was in France, although truth is, she was not in any kind of intimate relationship, she stayed far away from it after her marriage experience with Edward.
- They formed a political alliance there after Mortimer escaped from imprisonment in the Tower of London for troubles he caused during the Despenser war.
- He made a spectacular escape after some friends in high places drugged his wardens at a feast.

Edward ghosted

- Back in England, King Edward II caught wind of what was going on and he did everything in his power to get Isabella to return.
- By mid-1326, Isabella had a plan of action after months of unrest.
- Gathering allies and stewing in her resentment for Edward II, she formed an army complete with warships, some speculate with Mortimer.
- They soon set sail for England.

Hugh Despenser the Younger, who threatened to have barons hanged if they didn't give him the lands he wanted and who imprisoned his own loyal supporters and said he would hurt them if they didn't follow his instructions to the last dot on the i, was a pretty darn scary person, after all. He wasn't Piers Gaveston, who irritated a lot of people but who was, basically, harmless. (edwardthesecond.blogspot.com)

Queen Isabella and army

Seaweed

Bristol

Isabella deposed Edward

- The King's forces deserted him and Isabella deposed Edward, becoming regent on behalf of her young son, Edward III who was coming of age.
- Together, Roger Mortimer and Queen Isabella orchestrated a successful invasion of England, leading to Edward IIs forced abdication and resulting in Mortimer's de facto rule as regent.
- Isabella's army had overthrown King Edward II.
- You can't say she was in the wrong, because Edward had no clue what Despenser was doing and Mortimer was a traitor to the throne, so you might say that Edward was acting as a traitor to his own throne.
- And also, by working with Mortimer, Isabella was also a traitor to the throne.

Isabella and Mortimer returned to England with a mercenary army, seizing the country in a lightning campaign. The Despensers were executed and Edward was forced to abdicate – his eventual fate and possible murder remains a matter of considerable historical debate. (Wikipedia)

Hugh Despenser

- After the overthrow of Edward, Despenser was eventually charged with high treason.
- Despenser suffered the traitor’s death and was tortured horrendously in Hereford on November 24, 1326, on the orders of Mortimer, under the queen-consort of England, Isabella of France.
- He was hanged as a thief which was a low insult for a noble born man and then he was drawn and quartered.

Barkley Castle

- There was no mercy given to Isabella's enemies, even if she wanted to give it because her supporters were angry and bloodthirsty.
- She tried to save Despenser from some of their wrath but was unable to.
- He died, some say an incredibly brutal death, but this has never been proven or disproven.
- The Despenser's remains were quite literally fed to dogs while Edward's favorite endured men scrawling biblical verses on his skin.

Town square

Berkeley Castle

Edward sick

Tropical island

Kingdom

Baubles

Edward III removing his mother's apron strings

Nottingham Castle

Edward III of England

Lancastrian troops

Isabella's winding road

Social butterfly

Pansy

Circus

Stressed out

Running thick

Edward III trots off to the 100 Years' War

Bordeaux

	Jean Pichore
	Jean Pichore - Roger Mortimer and Queen Isabella - Page 2