tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post4027199286696982494..comments2024-03-14T05:56:44.390+00:00Comments on Edward II: The Childhood of Edward IIKathryn Warnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397714441908100576noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post-66354761886474389972006-12-19T19:08:00.000+00:002006-12-19T19:08:00.000+00:00What a great way to get rid of unwanted guests! M...What a great way to get rid of unwanted guests! Maybe Ed's household didn't quite dare to do that to the king's nephews and son-in-law, even if they thought about it!<br /><br />I read something in the bio of Eleanor of Castile about her concern for her children's education, especially Ed's - I suppose if she'd lived longer, his life would have been more structured. His upbringing does seem oddly slapdash, especially considering he was the only survivor of four brothers - which should have made Ed I more grateful to have him and more aware of his importance - at least, I would have assumed. Maybe the king was distracted in Scotland, but I find it really strange that he didn't try to curb Ed's interest in 'peasant' hobbies, and to promote a more conventional interest in jousting and martial activities.<br /><br />It's quite likely that the ten boys/wards were the first long-term, noble companions Ed had ever had - unless his future brother-in-law Count Jan of Holland lived in the same household, and I'm not sure about that.<br /><br />It was a pretty big part of Ed's personality, to develop extremely intense and long-lasting feelings for one person (man) to the exclusion of all others - later, it was the same with Hugh Despenser. Quite an attractive trait, IMO, if pretty foolish in a king! As you say, tumbling country wenches wouldn't have attracted nearly as much criticism - quite the contrary. He must have had a relationship with one woman, at least - the mother of his illegitimate son.<br /><br />Word verif: mipysofa. Cute. :)Kathryn Warnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397714441908100576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post-13378428043595477712006-12-19T10:01:00.000+00:002006-12-19T10:01:00.000+00:00I like the clerk too! Isn't there a reference som...I like the clerk too! Isn't there a reference somewhere in one of the Icelandic sagas to getting rid of guests who had outstayed their welcome by serving them food that had spoiled in storage and telling them that was all there was left? The clerk would probably have dearly liked to have tried that.<br /><br />It's curious that Edward I and/or Eleanor didn't pay more attention to Edward's education (the tutor who let him do as he liked), since they knew Edward was the heir from such an early age. I could understand being lackadaisical in bringing up an umpteenth son (who would probably marry abroad and be someone else's problem), but it seems odd to let the heir grow up to do as he pleases - after all, there were no constraints on a medieval king except self-discipline or armed revolt, and Edward I had seen the latter with his own inept father Henry III. Curious. <br /><br />It doesn't seem surprising that Edward developed a crush on Gaveston, does it? What's perhaps surprising is that the crush lasted so long and was so intense. I wonder if the ten boys were the first people in Edward's life who were his approximate social equals and stayed for any length of time?<br /><br />Nobody would have minded if Edward II had tumbled country girls at every opportunity, indeed it would have been expected of him, and if he was generous with gifts even the girls and their families wouldn't have minded. Rich young men were supposed to be Hooray Henrys and sow their wild oats and all that.Carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901028520813891575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post-48167460485444621902006-12-18T07:36:00.000+00:002006-12-18T07:36:00.000+00:00had edward become interested in country girls he w...had edward become interested in country girls he would have probably been like henry 4th of france: people might have criticized him but they loved him. it was normal in those days for men to sleep around, just look at the most popular kings and if you make a statistic you'll see that most of them were philanderers. it just added to the charm.ilyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09466405724385441554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post-77004422336799352622006-12-17T19:19:00.000+00:002006-12-17T19:19:00.000+00:00Me too, Susan - I can just seeing him writing it w...Me too, Susan - I can just seeing him writing it with gritted teeth. "When - will - they - EVER - leave??!"<br /><br />Gabriele - yes, I think Edward's intense feelings for Piers are entirely understandable, all things considered.Kathryn Warnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397714441908100576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post-76798163697706312232006-12-17T18:15:00.000+00:002006-12-17T18:15:00.000+00:00I love that line from the clerk.I love that line from the clerk.Susan Higginbothamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517907583894026599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post-23025194004273086702006-12-17T16:56:00.000+00:002006-12-17T16:56:00.000+00:00With that background, one mustn't wonder Edward de...With that background, one mustn't wonder Edward developed a crush on Piers. <br /><br />And what would have his alternative been? Conutry girls? That would have given him the renown of a philanderer ('no father could be sure of his duaghter's honour ....'), not much better than being interested too much in peasants' tools and men.Gabriele Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17205770868139083575noreply@blogger.com