Arte - Edward II of England The Unhappy King (2019)

Edward II ruled England at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. He was the son of Edward I and father of Edward III. History has preserved a better memory of these two other kings. Why? Edward II still has an ambivalent position in English history today. He is considered a weak king, unsuitable for exercising power. The strength of a ruler at that time was measured by how he managed to deal with the many noblemen in the country, who had documented rights over the king since the Magna Carta of 1225. At the end of the 13th century, England was on its way to becoming a world power; a kingdom that was established through bloody wars of conquest on the British Isles and sought to stabilize itself in the long term. His opponents accused him of being homosexual. The male favorites he gathered around him during his short life gave those malevolent enemies solid arguments to do so. He would not have failed if he had proved himself to be an energetic king. But Edward II of England (1284-1327) never was a king like Edward I Longshanks, his father, or Edward III, his son, were. And his end is shrouded in myth and mystery. He was also known as Edward of Caernarfon. Edward II had a difficult reign. He struggled to connect with other nobles and his passionate friendships with specific men led to rumours of homosexuality. Those favourite men were the de facto rulers of England, so much so that Edward II was abandoned by his wife in protest. In a stunning turn of events, she wrestled power away from her husband in favour of her son, Edward III.

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