0 Item

Edward II

The Unconventional King

By: Kathryn Warner, Ian Mortimer (Foreword by)

Write A Review

Hardcover | 19 October 2014

Sorry, we are not able to source the book you are looking for right now.

We did a search for other books with a similar title, however there were no matches. You can try selecting from a similar category, click on the author's name, or use the search box above to find your book.

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. The focus here is on his relationships with his male `favourites' and his disaffected wife, on his unorthodox lifestyle and hobbies, and on the mystery surrounding his death. 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.

Industry Reviews

'A richly detailed, compelling look at one of England's most misunderstood kings ... this is the biography of Edward II for which I have long been waiting.' -- Susan Higginbotham, author of The Woodvilles
'A new biography of Edward II is an important publication. ... Kathryn Warner brings fresh air to the study of Edward II's reign. ... She understands the importance of the human subject beyond the evidence. ... In this case the essential things to grasp are the man's personality and his contemporary reputation: what motivated him, what frightened him, and what he perceived to be his worth to others. ... Edward II's reign will always be regarded as a failure but as a result of studies like this, there is a hope that the man who was the centre of events will emerge in all his complexity, not simply as a weak king. He had his virtues - among them his piety, his loyalty to his friends and his generosity.' -- Ian Mortimer, bestselling author of The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.