The Peasant King....the Story of King Edward II, 1307-1327 AD

Edward II of England was the royal misfit of the 14th century. He was the son of the great English King Edward I who was known for his battles with the Scots. His son, Edward II took up the battle call and continued most unsuccessfully to fight the Scots. Yet he did not win any battles on his own. He lost terribly at Bannockburn. His reign was compromised by too many favorites who wanted to rule in his stead and who were leaches on his kindness. He had a terrible sense of money and how to manage people, but his worst affliction was his penchant for the peasant life. He was happiest when he was out helping the peasants to dig a ditch or roof a building. When he engaged his peasant talents, he let his kingdom manage itself with often disastrous results. This is tale of politics at its best in the 1300’s with all of the elements that we see in politics today.