As I expected and predicted, Twitter, Facebook and numerous other online sites are full of posts today marking the anniversary of the alleged death of Edward II on 21 September 1327, around 97%, at a rough estimate, repeating the red-hot poker story as though it's certain fact. If you've found your way here searching for more information about Edward's death, welcome, and I've linked below to the numerous posts I've written on the subject. Happy reading, and be aware that the red-hot poker story you've always heard repeated as 'fact' is 99.99% certain to be a myth.
Death?
Death part two
Edward was not tormented and abused at Berkeley Castle
Red-Hot Poker
Chronicle evidence
Survival?
Oddities in the narrative of Edward's death
Events from September to December 1327
Regicides part one
Regicides part two
Regicides part three
The earl of Kent's plot to free Edward in 1330
(My article about the plot in the English Historical Review)
The archbishop of York says in 1330 that Edward is alive
Edward's custodian of 1327 says in 1330 he didn't know about the former king's death
The end of the hot poker, I say.
ReplyDeleteRead your posts so many times - keep making an impact and stop the stupid poker story!
ReplyDeleteIf Thomas Berkeley knew what was planned at Berkeley Castle on the night of 21st October but was sick so that he never actually saw who went into the coffin but believed it was a substitute body and that the ex-king had been taken to Corfe, surely his statement to the parliament in November 1330 makes complete sense. He didn't know of the ex-king's death until the present parliament because until this parliament he had believed he was still alive. But if the ex-king was in fact dead and had been killed on that night at Berkeley then he had nothing to do with it because he wasn't there.
ReplyDeleteSuper collection of posts. Invaluable to writers such as myself.
hello
ReplyDeleteI visited the castle some years ago and the story according to the guide was that a animal horn was used. It was shoved (pardon the expression) up his behind and hot metal was poured down. The scream was heard in the village some miles away.
An hint that another appalling event connected with the finding of a woman's skull. I never found out the story.
I do wish the guides at Berkeley Castle would stop repeating that spectacularly silly story. :-(
ReplyDeleteHaving all your posts listed together like this underlines how much research you've done on the subject. An excellent resource for anyone who wants to explore Edward's fate.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carla! :-)
ReplyDeleteSami, I so agree!
Anerje, thanks for reading and for your support!
Caroline, thank you for the kind words and for your insight - much appreciated.
This blog is a great resource. Has anyone written a best-selling historical fiction book addressing the "hot poker" story? If not, maybe you should try. (IMO, it seems that fiction is the best way to spread the picture of a king -- more judge Richard III based on Gregory, Penman, Shakespeare or Tey, than on Kendall, Ross or Markham)
ReplyDeleteEsther
Great idea, Esther! Ivan Fowler's recent novel Towards Auramala - hmmm, I don't want to give spoilers - takes a different view of events in 1327, let's say.
ReplyDeleteAuramala? that sounds finnish! Aura in finnish is a plow and the -mala is usually an indication of a place name. So if Auramala was in Finland it would translate to english as Plowplace or Place of plows. :-D
ReplyDeleteHi everybody, here is a new novel about King Edward II of England, and a website dedicated to an exciting new archival research project aimed at discovering the truth about how he really died. The novel comes highly recommended by Kathryn Warner.
ReplyDeletePlease take a look also to the book trailer :) thanks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUfoCcNu6GA&feature=share
Hi everybody, here is a new novel about King Edward II of England, and a website dedicated to an exciting new archival research project aimed at discovering the truth about how he really died. The novel comes highly recommended by Kathryn Warner.
ReplyDeletePlease take a look also to the book trailer :) thank you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUfoCcNu6GA&feature=share159